The European Centre for Disease Control has issued a new report, in which it warns of the increased risk of Covid-19 transmission during the festive season.
A combination of social gatherings, people on the move, and fatigue with pandemic restrictions means the risk of coronavirus transmission to the general population is assessed as "high".
For vulnerable individuals, including the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions, the risk is assessed as "very high" according to the ECDC.
The risk assessment report advised that where measures are lifted, an increase in hospitalisations could be expected about three weeks afterwards. "The earlier measures are lifted, the larger and more rapid the increase in case numbers,