Wear face masks at Christmas family gatherings, WHO tells Europeans amid fears of a Covid third wave

The World Health Organization has said that there is a “high risk” of another Covid resurgence in Europe in early 2021 unless people wear face masks with family and take other precautions throughout the festive period.

Europe risks a third wave of Covid-19 unless people work together to minimize the risk of transmitting the virus over the festive period, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

Many countries, including the UK, have elected to loosen restrictions for the festive period, allowing multiple households to mix for a limited number of days. 

“There is a high risk of further resurgence in the first weeks and months of 2021, and we will need to work together if we are to succeed in preventing it,” the organization said in a statement.

Bringing together old and young people in one place where the transmission of Covid-19 is possible presents an additional challenge, the WHO claimed. 

It may feel awkward to wear masks and practice physical distancing when around friends and family but doing so contributes significantly to ensuring that everyone remains safe and healthy.

The organization added that all gatherings should be conducted outdoors if possible, but if held indoors, limiting group sizes and ensuring ventilation is key. 

The decision to relax Covid-19 regulations over the Christmas period is increasingly coming under fire in the run up to Christmas, particularly in the UK where two medical journals came together to urge the government to abandon its plans.

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