UK urged to ax 'rash' easing of restrictions over Christmas

LONDON (AP) — The British government faced mounting calls Tuesday to reassess its plans to ease coronavirus restrictions for a few days over Christmas following a spike in new infections that will see tougher rules imposed on London and some surrounding areas.

Two of the country’s leading medical journals were among those imploring Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative government to ax plans to allow more household mixing over the Christmas period.

In only their second joint editorial in their more than 100-year histories, the British Medical Journal and the Health Service Journal urged a rethink of what they called the “rash” decision.

“We are publishing it because we believe the government is about to blunder into another major error,” they said.

The British government, which devises the public health strategy for England, along with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, agreed last month to allow a maximum of three households to mix between Dec. 23 and Dec. 27, regardless of what local restrictions are in place.

But with new infections rising at an exponential rate in many parts of the country, there are growing concerns that the government's Christmas relaxation of restrictions will see a further escalation in infections and deaths and put too much pressure on the country's already-stressed National Health Service.

Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, urged Johnson to call an emergency meeting to review the decision.

“I understand that people want to spend time with their families after this awful year, but the situation has clearly taken a turn for the worse since the decision about Christmas was taken," he said.

Any potential easing over Christmas contrasts with measures being taken by other...