In the last seven days, over half a million in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus. That’s a lot of people who are currently staring down the barrel of Christmas in self-isolation, or, in the best case scenario, will be praying that their lateral flows come back negative on the seventh day so they can leave the house and salvage their holiday season.
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TV adverts would have you believe that, short of being poisoned by off-brand eggnog, a solo Christmas is the worst thing that can happen to you. But spending the festive period alone doesn’t have to be miserable – just ask the people below, who tested positive in the run-up to the holidays and can now spend the day cooking whatever they want to eat (read: not dried-out turkey), being able to watch a movie without fighting their siblings for the remote, and swerving awkward dinner chat with the extended family. And, of course, there’s the added benefit of knowing that they aren’t in any danger of spreading Omicron to their families and loved ones.In the run-up to the UK’s second COVID Christmas, VICE photographer Aiyush Pachnanda met – in a socially-distanced way, obviously – the Londoners planning to spend the day alone in isolation.
Travis Li, 25, songwriter and music A&R
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Saachi, 23, law student
Sam Owen, 25, video producer
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Joe Kibria 29, art director
Freddie Smith, 26, and Mike Lang, 29, bar managers
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