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Victory: the government backed down and tightened the restrictions on gatherings over Christmas 2020.

To: Matt Hancock, health secretary

Health experts have said that the government’s “rash” plan to allow gatherings over Christmas is “another major error that will cost many lives”.

The decision will put the NHS under severe strain as a ‘third wave’ in January comes on top of the usual winter pressures, say the British Medical Journal and Health Service Journal.

When the government announced the Christmas plan, cases were decreasing from the November lockdown – but now they are rising again. The government has even stated that a ‘sharp’ rise in the South East of England may be caused by a new strain of the virus, which we do not yet know much about.

Even if individuals are careful, many people may have the virus without knowing it and without symptoms. A rise in travelling and household mixing will always spread the infection, putting elderly and vulnerable people especially at risk.

While everyone wants to see their relatives over Christmas, it will cause great regret and heartache if the government leads people to believe that it is safe to do so when it simply isn’t. Boris Johnson’s cheap PR gain will be our tragic loss.

We believe this is not the time to relax the rules. Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have now announced that they will not lift restrictions over Christmas – the UK government should follow their example. Let’s keep safe this Christmas, keep rolling out the vaccine and end the pandemic in 2021.

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Highlighted comments

I am seventy and miss my family so much, but with a vaccine on the horizon I am not going to take any chances. We can always move our Christmas gathering until later in 2021.

Jenny, Derbyshire

A death sentence for many if it goes ahead. I haven’t seen any of my family since March. I would rather wait a few more months than never see them again.

Patrick, Essex

It’s obvious that infection levels will rise if restrictions are lifted. This is a political decision, NOT based on the science or medical evidence. Let’s all do Christmas in June, instead, when it’s safe.

Christina, Herefordshire

The virus won’t take a holiday over Christmas.

Rachel, Suffolk

I have COPD and, having had the virus and a secondary infection in February, would hate to risk inflicting this on anyone else. I should be sorry not to see my daughter, son-in-law and little granddaughter for Christmas, but would rather miss out on this rather than cause danger to others. My oldest friend’s mother has just died of Covid-19 – she was so looking forward to the birth of her first great-grandchild next week.

Susan, Oxford

Look what happened after Thanksgiving in the US – huge spike in numbers – do we want (or deserve) that? No way. Stick to our guns and we will reap the rewards in 2021.

Christopher, Yorkshire

As a retired nurse with ICU experience, I can only imagine how the already exhausted hospital staff must be dreading the period over new year and the days after that. We have to act responsibly.

Angela, Cardiff

The vaccination programme is in progress now, so why risk lives before all vulnerable people are protected?

Jill, Dorset