Workers are being asked to host their Christmas parties in advance to avoid giving Covid to family members who are vulnerable.
Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said: ‘People going home for the week of Christmas, if they will be staying in the same house as someone vulnerable or very elderly, may want to avoid crowds for a couple of weeks before that.
‘While the risks are small, those who want to be ultra careful should consider arranging Christmas parties for the first week of December.’

Health experts warn that workers who spend Christmas with elderly or vulnerable relatives might want to avoid crowds in weeks leading up to December 25.
Professor Catherine Noakes, a specialist in infection, suggested that people try to avoid going to too many events during party season.
‘It’s about thinking where your priorities are,’ she said.
Professor Noakes is among the experts who will deliver this year’s Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution, to be shown on BBC4 between Christmas and New Year.
She suggests that people attend fewer parties during party season than they usually do.
Christmas was effectively cancelled in London and the South East last year, with more than 16,000,000 people being placed under de facto lockdown and told to stay within tier four.
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister, also reduced the Christmas amnesty by reducing it from five days to one.
Thanks to the Covid-19 vaccines, such measures are not planned this year. Thousands of people are eager to enjoy one too many at their long-awaited office Christmas party.
However, it is recommended that people plan ahead and perform a risk assessment.
They may want to avoid contracting the coronavirus if they are with their family starting Christmas week on December 20th, with elderly or vulnerable persons there.
Professor Hunter said that could mean planning Christmas parties for the first week of December, although he stressed the risk of passing on the virus is now ‘minimal’ when households are double-vaccinated, particularly after boosters for older family members.

Workers are advised by the government to plan ahead and to conduct a risk assessment of all parties.
Professor Hunter said that could mean planning Christmas parties for the first week of December, although he stressed the risk of passing on the virus is now ‘minimal’ when households are double-vaccinated, particularly after boosters for older family members.
Giving her own advice, Professor Noakes said: ‘Having a smaller number of social events, and arranging bigger events like Christmas parties early in December, may be one way we can reduce the risk of spreading the virus to family and friends who we may meet over Christmas.
‘It’s about thinking where your priorities are – do you have to go to six Christmas parties, or do you just go to two or three?
‘And perhaps it’s better to do a smaller number of more valuable activities than to just go to everything, because really the more people mix together, the more chances there are for this disease to spread.’
Professor Noakes, an environmental engineering expert who is an adviser to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, (Sage), has advised ministers throughout the pandemic. He also suggested that Government funding be made available for people to improve ventilation in their homes for health reasons and to insulate them to keep heat inside.
This year’s Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution include Deputy Chief Medical Officer professor Jonathan Van-Tam, who will discuss scientific advances during the pandemic, along with Professor Noakes and five other leading UK scientists – Professors Katie Ewer, Julia Gog, Ravi Gupta, Teresa Lambe and Sharon Peacock (SUBS – pls keep).
Between Christmas and New Year, the Christmas Lectures will air on BBC Four.