London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 30, 2025

Brits told to swap Christmas dinners for covid friendly 'picnics in the park'

Brits told to swap Christmas dinners for covid friendly 'picnics in the park'

A top scientist has suggested ditching traditional roast dinners for picnics in the park to stop coronavirus spreading over Christmas.

Dr Hans Kluge, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) regional director for Europe, said this year will be ‘a different Christmas but that does not mean it cannot be a merry one’.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday he said large gatherings should be avoided and that if people want to see family over Christmas they should meet up in the park instead.

‘Cherish the festive season with those close to you,’ he said.

‘If it’s a large gathering of vulnerable people, you may postpone that gathering until you can safely gather.

‘Despite the cold, if local restrictions permit, gather outside with loved ones for picnics in the park.’

Many are hoping they will be able to spend time with their loved ones indoors as the festive period approaches. Downing Street confirmed yesterday that they are looking into options to relax measures over Christmas, but scientists fear this could cause another spoke in infections.



Dr Kluge pointed out that many marked other religious festivals, including the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Hindu festival Diwali, with virtual gatherings and ‘distance celebrations’.

He said signs of community spirit are being seen across Europe, with homeless shelters planning to deliver warm meals and food packages to the homeless at Christmas.

He added that planned online festivities and popular department store Christmas windows were being unveiled through Facebook Live events.

‘We must ensure safe learning for older children and make sure they enjoy the festive season,’ he said.

Earlier on Thursday, a top scientist warned the UK that lifting restrictions for Christmas ‘would mean burying family in January’.


Experts warn lifting restrictions at Christmas will cause a spike in infections


Professor of public health, Gabriel Scally, said the country has ‘not had nine months of sacrifices to throw it away at Christmas’.

‘There is no point having a very merry Christmas and then burying friends and relations in January and February,’ he said.

‘We need to think very seriously about Christmas and how we’re going to spend it. It’s too dangerous a time and an opportunity for the virus to spread.’

There are reports that Downing Street is considering relaxing measures between December 24 – 28 and that ministers are considering plans to allow three or four households to form bubbles.

Yesterday Public Health England warned that for every day rules are eased, five more days of restrictions would be needed – meaning the country could face almost another month of lockdown.

The Government is under increasing pressure to reveal what rules will be in place for Christmas.


There are reports restrictions could be relaxed between Christmas Eve and December 28


Today one Government scientific adviser said there has been ‘far too much emphasis’ on having a ‘near-normal Christmas’.

Andrew Hayward, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at University College London (UCL) and a member of Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said that household mixing at Christmas would pose ‘substantial risks’ to older generations and would ‘throw fuel on the fire’ of the pandemic.

Speaking in a personal capacity, he also attacked the Government for ‘inconsistent’ messages over what to do, saying it was clear that if people wanted to avoid Covid-19 they should not mix indoors.

His intervention comes as Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs the chief medical officers of all four UK nations have been asked to draw up plans for easing some restrictions and a ‘concrete’ plan could be revealed as early as next week.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
×