It will have to be, Emmanuel Macron said this week, “a Christmas not like others”. Across Europe, governments are grappling with the same question: how to allow a little much-needed seasonal celebration without further fuelling the pandemic?
Some countries have yet to announce their plans, but several have already said tight restrictions can be eased for a short time over the festive period – providing people are responsible, and prepared to put up with tight measures before and after.
In France, which has succeeded in cutting infections to an average of about 13,000 a day from more than 55,000 at the start of its month-long lockdown, non-essential shops are due to reopen on Saturday, allowing Christmas shopping to get under way.
Providing daily new cases have fallen further and intensive care unit occupancy has been brought below a set threshold, lockdown will end on 15 December, with people allowed to leave their homes and travel without proving a need to do so.
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