PEOPLE should be more concerned about the health and welfare of their parents and grandparents than gathering together for a movie this Christmas.

That’s the view of a Government scientific adviser who says mixing at Christmas poses “substantial risks”, especially for older people, and there is “far too much emphasis” on having a normal festive period.

Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at University College London (UCL) and a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said the country was “on the cusp” of being able to vaccinate older populations and it would be “tragic” to throw away the gains made in suppressing coronavirus.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that mixing indoors at Christmas carries substantial risks, “particularly in terms of bringing together generations with high incidence of infection with the older generations who currently have much lower levels of infection and are at most risk of dying if they catch Covid”.

He added: “My personal view is we’re putting far too much emphasis on having a near-normal Christmas. We know respiratory infections peak in January so throwing fuel on the fire over Christmas can only contribute to this.

“We’re on the cusp of being able to protect those elderly people who we love through vaccination and it would be tragic to throw that opportunity away and waste the gains we’ve made during lockdown by trying to return to normality over the holidays.”

Prof Hayward said the reproduction number - the R value - of coronavirus still needed to get below 1 for the epidemic to shrink.

“Approaching 1 is not good enough - that still means the infection is increasing,” he said. “It needs to be clearly below 1 and it needs to get to low levels, rather than the high levels that we still have.”

Asked whether he would impose further restrictions throughout December, such as stricter tiers than before lockdown, he said: “We would need to be very mindful of the fact that this last period of the year is absolutely critical economically for many businesses so I think we do need to find a way of allowing them to function, but in a responsible way.”

The Government is still working out details of how people can come together over the festive period, with Downing Street saying families should be able to meet up after a “difficult year”. Reports suggest households might be allowed to mix indoors for a five-day period from Christmas Eve, and that ministers are considering plans to allow three or four households to form bubbles. But a five-day easing could mean a potential 25-day period of tighter measures into January if the Government was to follow advice from scientists.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said a final decision will be made as close to the end of England’s national lockdown as possible.

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain he didn’t want to be “the Grinch that stole Christmas” but wanted to “protect lives”.

With normal festive socialising carrying a risk, we should, says Prof Hayward, be preparing for a “slightly disappointing Christmas”.

His advice comes as Oxford University published phase 2 results from its clinical trial into a coronavirus vaccine, showing it produces a strong immune response in older age groups.

But sacrificing a normal Christmas to protect lives means this festive season is a particularly grim prospect for older people. Age UK is raising urgent funds for its frontline friendship and advice services which continue to see high demand throughout the coronavirus crisis. Says the charity: “This winter will be like no other, yet far too many older people are facing this challenging, uncertain time alone. For many older people, Age UK will be their lifeline this Christmas. Now more than ever, no-one should have no-one.”

A recent poll by Age UK revealed that a third of people aged 60 and over are feeling more anxious and less motivated since the start of the pandemic. The charity asked over 1,300 older people in the UK how their health and mental wellbeing had changed in the last six months, and 27 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women felt more anxious. The charity has also been hearing from older people who are struggling to get out of bed and dressed and say that every day is the same.

Age UK is working with NHS England on the Help Us Help You campaign encouraging older people to reach out for help if they’re struggling to cope. Director Caroline Abrahams said: “The pandemic brought sudden changes to all our lives...and it doesn’t look like the virus is going away any time soon. For some older people the next six months, coupled with challenges that winter brings, will be a terrifying prospect. Older people with depression and anxiety may not recognise the symptoms or may not know what support is available. It’s important that all older people know they don’t have to cope alone and that the NHS is still there to support them with their mental health.”

Age UK studies show that many older people don’t seek professional help as they think ‘they should just get on with it’. Says Caroline: “Depression shouldn’t be seen as a normal part of ageing and we need to challenge the assumption that older people should put up with it. It’s never too late to seek professional help, and during this time it is vital that we all take steps to look after emotional wellbeing.”

l Visit ageuk.org.uk/christmas-appeal