BLACKBURN with Darwen residents classed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable have been urged to think carefully about Christmas family gatherings.

The advice came from the council's adult services and prevention boss Cllr Mustafa Ali Desai as the whole of Lancashire reverts to tier three restrictions from Wednesday 2 December, the government is issuing updated advice to Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people.

The advice for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable residents in the borough is similar to that issued in October when the borough first went into tier three but they can return to work and school from December .

The government is writing to all such people in England early next week, with more detailed advice on taking precautions to keep themselves safe, including keeping social interactions to a minimum.

The government’s letter will a include specific advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable relating to the festive period when they can form Christmas bubbles of up to three households between December 23 and 27 like the rest of the population.

Cllr Desai said: "We recognise the huge sacrifices that Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people and their families have made since March to keep themselves safe from the threat of coronavirus.

"As the restrictions are relaxed slightly as we revert to tier three, and then further over the Christmas period, we appeal to people with underlying health conditions to think carefully about the risks of gathering with extended family and friends.

"Choosing whether to form a Christmas bubble of three households is very much a personal choice for someone who is Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, and they will need to balance the risks."