Five days of Christmas UK Covid plan lets groups of three households mix

Four UK governments agree relaxed rules, and scientists expect rise in cases to follow

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Families across the UK will be able to gather in three-household groups of any size over Christmas, the government has announced, bringing warnings from scientists that the plan will almost inevitably see a rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

The long-planned idea of Christmas bubbles" - which ministers said would require people to make a personal judgment" over risk for older relatives and others - was thrashed out in a meeting involving the four UK governments.