On Tuesday, it was announced that over the Christmas period three households can mix for up to five days in the United Kingdom.

From 23 Dec through 27 Dec, three households will be able to form a "Christmas bubble", meaning these households can exclusively spend time together but must not mix with people outside of that bubble. With this three-household Christmas bubble, people will be able to gather in places of worship, homes, and outdoor spaces, the BBC reported [1]. However, it was stressed that people must follow the hospitality rules in place in the area. Travel restrictions will be lifted for the five-day period and it is also expected that restrictions on overnight stays will be relaxed.

The rules will be in effect in all four nations, something the government has been vocal about being important over Christmas, despite the restrictions largely differing in each nation up until now.

The news comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out his winter COVID-19 plan and updated tier system [2], and after the UK reported a further 608 coronavirus deaths — the highest daily total since May. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she'll "continue to ask people to err on the side of caution" over the festive period.

POPSUGAR aims to give you the most accurate and up-to-date information about the coronavirus, but details and recommendations about this pandemic may have changed since publication. For the latest information on COVID-19, please check out resources from the WHO [3], the NHS [4], and GOV.UK [5].