Christmas card with the words "Driving home for Christmas (Just to test my eyesight)" showing a person driving a red vehicle, designed by PopDogShop, sold by thortful, 2020

During the first national lockdown in the United Kingdom to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Dominic Cumming then senior adviser to the Prime Minister, drove 264 miles to Durham. It was revealed Cummings and his wife had symptoms of coronavirus when making the trip. They said they made the journey to ensure childcare arrangements. However, the lockdown rules stated that there were limited reasons for leaving home - buying food and medicine, exercising once a day, seeking medical attention and travelling to work if not able to work from home. It was later reported that the Cumming family made a 30 mile round trip to Barnard Castle while in Durham. In May 2020 at a press conference to explain his actions, Cummings said he drove to Barnard Castle to test his ability to drive, after experiencing loss of vision due to coronavirus.