New restrictions took effect at the start of Thursday, requiring people to stay home in most circumstances.
“The UK government and the devolved administrations are working together on a joint approach to the Christmas period, because all of us want to ensure families can come together, wherever they live,” Johnson said at a press conference from Downing Street.
“The advice I've received suggests that four weeks is enough for these measures to make a real impact so these rules will expire and on the 2nd of December, we will move back to a tiered approach. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
“I have every confidence – if we follow this package of measures in the way that we can, and as have done before – I’ve no doubt that people will be able to have as normal a Christmas as possible.”
As coronavirus infections spike across Europe, Johnson said earlier this week that UK deaths in the second wave of the pandemic could potentially exceed those recorded in the spring, with the number of coronavirus patients in some hospitals "already higher than at the peak of the first wave."