A top doctor has blasted Britain as a "weak nation" over its new Christmas coronavirus lockdown bubble rules.

Dr Hilary Jones spoke out on Good Morning Britain to issue a stark warning over the festive period.

The health editor was speaking after it was announced three households are allowed to meet - which Dr Hilary said was too "large" a number.

Chatting to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid today, Dr Hilary warned: "I think controlling the virus is like trying to control your weight.

"It is easy to put weight on - but it is difficult to lose it and get the weight off.

"It is easy to increase the transmission of the virus and it is hard to get it back down again.

"Having this holiday at Christmas - people meeting for five days, hugging each other, cramped into rooms with poor ventilation.

"It is going to undo so much of the good work which has already been done.

"I think the majority of our viewers are with us on this. It is going to undo that good work.

"It is easy to increase the transmission of the virus and it is hard to get it back down again.

"I look at the newspapers today - headlines saying 'Bubbles for Christmas in UK deal'.

"We are talking about a deal.

"Are we really such a weak nation that we cannot wait a few more weeks?

"We can control the virus better, wait for the vaccine and look forward to normality next year."

Christmas Covid rules: Who are you allowed to see?

Between 23 and 27 December, the three households will be allowed to form a temporary "Christmas bubble". They can mix indoors and stay overnight.

Northern Ireland has been granted a longer window of 22 to 28 December, to allow time to travel between the nations.

Bubbles will be allowed to meet each other:

  • In each other's homes
  • At a place of worship
  • In an outdoor public space, or garden

The bubbles will be fixed, so you will not be able to mix with two households on Christmas Day and two different ones on Boxing Day. Households you are in a Christmas bubble with can't be in others.

There will be no limit to the number of people in a household joining a bubble.

However, the rules about what counts as a household will depend on where you are. In England if you have formed a support bubble with another household, that counts as one household, so you can join with two other households in a Christmas bubble.

People who are self-isolating should not join a Christmas bubble. If someone tests positive, or develops coronavirus symptoms up to 48 hours after the Christmas bubble last met, everyone will have to self-isolate.