Scarborough and Whitby MP Robert Goodwill says people should think carefully about Christmas socialising

"Don't feel you need to hug people," said Robert Goodwill, as he appealed for residents to be careful even if they are planning to form festive bubbles.

"Think especially carefully about inviting a vulnerable elderly relative into your home," he said.

"If you're doing that, think carefully about how you're going to do that.

"Maybe use separate serving spoons and when you're dishing up, don't pass plates around the table," he said.

His plea comes as two leading medical journals described the UK's plan to ease Covid-19 rules over Christmas as a "rash decision" that will "cost many lives".

The Health Service Journal and British Medical Journal warned people might see the lifting of restrictions "as permission to drop their guard".

The Government has said it would not review plans to allow household mixing over Christmas.

Its current guidance states that between December 23 and 27, people can form an exclusive Christmas bubble composed of people from no more than three households.

You can only be in one Christmas bubble and you can not change your Christmas bubble.

You can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble and you can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces.

You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home, according to the rules in the tier you are meeting in.

If you form a Christmas bubble, you should not meet socially with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas bubble.

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