Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit are three of the most popular Christmas games.
This year, however, there may be an addition to Christmas activities: the Covid blame-game.
Families and friends are already using social media to complain of loved ones giving them Covid in advance of the holiday season, as Omicron cases continue to rise.
While some people have been lighthearted about their accusations, others accused family, friends and housemates of ruining Christmas.
Boris Johnson, yesterday’s spokesperson for Covid, confirmed that there will be no additional restrictions on Covid for the holiday season.
Instead, he advised Britons that they should take extra measures to ensure their safety and the security of their loved ones during holiday gatherings. He encouraged people to test their health before they visit family and friends.
Anyone who is positive for Covid will now spend Christmas indoors.
This has resulted in some people taking to social media and blaming loved-ones who gave them Covid.
One user on Twitter wrote, “My brother has certainly given me Covid. Scream! It’s the last thing that I really need.
Family and friends using social media have taken advantage of this trend to make accusations of loved ones for giving them Covid before the holidays. Pictured is a library image that shows a positive Covid testing.
Another said: “To my flatmate, who most likely gave me Covid which means I must probably miss all of the Christmas parties this Week”): You are the Grinch.
A Twitter user posted yesterday that his best friend might have gifted him Covid.
One other person, who tweeted last week: “If Oliver got me Covid one week before Christmas I’ll feel very happy.”
According to one Twitter, her boyfriend had been ‘getting coal in Christmas’ as she was having to stay indoors for 10 days because of her Covid.
This comes just as Sajid Javid, today hailing ‘encouraging” evidence that Omicron is more mild than Delta. He hopes that a New Year lockdown could be avoided. However, SAGE experts warn the UK remains in the “danger zone”.
Following confirmation by Downing Street that there would be no announcements regarding toughening rules, the Health Secretary declared the findings about severity as ‘encouraging’.
Javid said that although the virus is rapidly spreading, it will pose a grave threat. He also stressed the need for large-scale hospitalizations due to the high number of patients.
Boris Johnson has left Britons at peace and exhorted them to take extra precautions during holidays so they can protect themselves and their families.
With more information on the variant expected later, ministers find themselves again trapped between medical and scientific advisors who urge caution and business and Tories that want the economy to continue running.
The MPs along with the industry in hospitality are calling for immediate clarity regarding the New Year period. It could spell doom for many bars or restaurants that have been hit hard by cancellations during recent weeks.
It is rapidly expanding and scientists warn that the NHS still faces serious threats. SAGE member Andrew Hayward said this morning that things are not clear for seniors and that pressures on the NHS will only get worse.
Professor Neil Ferguson — who just last week warned there could be up to 5,000 daily Omicron deaths in the UK — said the country’s fourth wave will be ‘nothing like what we seen last year, with ICUs overflowing with patients’ on the back of the new findings.
At Imperial College London, his team discovered that Omicron caught Britons were between 15% and 20% more likely to get admitted than Delta.
The real-world study of over 300,000 individuals between December 1st and 14 found that the likelihood of staying in the NHS for an extended period of time was lower with a decreased risk of 40 to 45 percent.
The findings are believed to have contributed to Mr Johnson holding off Christmas restrictions despite record case numbers — with 106,122 positive tests reported yesterday.
The Omicron variant has caused weeks of chaos and venues want to be able to trade on the crucial trading day.
Javid noted that early results on severity had been ‘good’ and that it was encouraging news. He stressed that it wasn’t yet clear how mildly the variant was.
Omicron can spread much faster than Delta. Therefore, any benefit from a lower risk of being hospitalized must be balanced against it.
“If only a small percentage are at higher risk of being hospitalized, or if they’re a lower percentage of an overall greater number, it could still lead to significant hospitalisation.”
Javid said that the government has no plans to make any announcements during this week.
Omicron was found to be 10 percent less likely than Delta to result in hospitalisation for someone who had never been vaccinated. Hospitalisation is up to 20 per cent less likely in the general population — including those who have been infected or vaccinated — and 45 per cent less likely for at least a night
‘Despite the caution that we are all taking, people should enjoy their Christmases with their families and their friends – of course, remain cautious,’ he said.
“We will continue to monitor the situation. As we learn more from these new data, we continue to improve our understanding.
“We will continue analysing this data. If we have to do any more, we will. However, nothing else is happening before Christmas.
England’s wait-and see approach is starkly different from the rest of the UK. Tensions are rising between Westminster, the UK devolved administrations and funding for bailouts.
Wales bans large New Year’s Eve celebrations, and says nightclubs should close. Rules in Scotland restrict alcohol consumption to tables only starting December 27, which has hampered hospitality.
Stormont ministers also agreed in Northern Ireland that a set of restrictions would be put into place on Boxing Day. This included closing nightclubs as well as guidance regarding how to reduce contact with households.
Vaughan Gething from the Welsh Economy Ministry said that Johnson was unlikely to be able withstand “very much longer”.