A social contract to save our Christmas

An idea to save Christmas and beyond: a potential circuit breaker with much less hardship than the March lockdown.

As coronavirus has a two-week contagion period, wouldn’t it be possible for friends or families from different households to elect to lock down together as a group bubble, committing to visiting only each others’ homes and seeing no one else?

Economic activity is normally significantly reduced over the festive period; the hospitality sector could continue with some restrictions.

Doesn’t this give a window in time to take individual responsibility for what would be a huge morale boost? Emerging into 2021 with the possibility of the virus contained, this could be an effective measure on a nationwide scale.

Yes, we’d still need to mitigate against the risks of entering into this pact with family and friends, and cases emerging from within the groups would, as now, involve further quarantine. No, it does not address travel to the rest of the world. Over to the epidemiologists and politicians to explain why this should not be a possibility when none of the alternatives are simple.
Lynne Edwards
Stamfordham, Northumberland