Or, say, free connection over Christmas so everyone can keep in touch as much as they like without data limits.” The problem then – and I speak as the father of a 16-year-old – would be ever to get them out of their rooms rather than trying to keep them in. “They could ask various sectors (especially those that have done well in the pandemic) to help out in a whole series of ways – say give the latest games to young people asked to self-isolate. Reicher suggested the government should learn from Zoom’s offer and work with other companies to provide more free options to replace in-person socialising.

And if everybody takes advantage of the flexibility then infections will surge and there will be mourning in January.” “For a few exceptional cases it will make sense to meet up – if you have a relative with limited life expectancy or suffering severe mental health problems from isolation. It will be a gift to the virus, because a crowded Christmas dinner table is the ideal condition for transmission, but if anyone were to fall ill it would be just about the worst present we could give to each other. “The message is very simple: meeting over Christmas is a risk to you, your family and your community. “I hope it is an example that others will follow,” said Stephen Reicher, a professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews. The announcement was welcomed by health experts who have been pushing for gatherings to remain socially distanced despite the UK government relaxing restrictions over the period.

“Whether coming together on the final day of Hanukkah, celebrating Christmas, ringing in the new year or marking the last days of Kwanzaa, those connecting with friends and family won’t get cut short.” The company said: “As a token of appreciation to our users during an extraordinary time, we’re removing the 40-minute limit on free Zoom accounts for all meetings globally for several upcoming special occasions.

New zoom account