A meeting of the Government’s Cobra committee will be held today with representatives from all four UK nations to discuss plans for Christmas.
According to sources, the meeting will take place at 4pm today to discuss the ongoing tactics to battle Covid-19.
Downing Street said the Government still wanted a UK-wide approach to the relaxation of restrictions over Christmas.
Ahead of a Cobra meeting with the leaders of the devolved administrations chaired by Michael Gove, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We have been clear of our desire to try and agree a four-nations approach which will allow families to meet up over the Christmas period.”
Agreement has not yet been reached and it is not clear whether the Cobra meeting will provide certainty for families planning their Christmas break.
But the Number 10 spokesman said: “We continue to work with the devolved nations to agree a plan to allow families to meet up over Christmas.
“That work is ongoing and there will be a meeting later of Cobra to discuss it.”
It comes as more than 71,200 deaths involving Covid-19 have now occurred in the UK, new figures show.
READ MORE: UK economy back in reverse this month as English lockdown hits hospitality and leisure
A total of 68,524 deaths have so far been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, according to the latest reports from the UK’s statistics agencies.
It comes following reports that suggest that families could be allowed to meet for up to a week over Christmas as part of a UK-wide relaxation of coronavirus rules, it has been reported.
On Saturday Matt Hancock told a Downing Street briefing it was still too early to say what contact people will be able to have over the festive period, but it has been reported Boris Johnson is preparing to announce a plan next week for an easing of rules.
READ MORE: Covid: Weekly registered coronavirus deaths in England and Wales pass 2,000 for first time since May – ONS
Earlier today it was announced that the number of deaths involving Covid-19 registered each week in England and Wales has risen above 2,000 for the first time since May.
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