Fox News doctor Marc Siegel on Sunday encouraged people to have gatherings for Christmas and Hanukkah because COVID-19 is "almost like a biblical plague."

Siegel made the remarks during a Fox News segment on National Football League (NFL) players who he claimed are being "punished" by COVID-19 restrictions.

"Do we want no Christmas? Do we want no Hanukkah?" Siegel complained. "We're praying for miracles right now to get us out of this COVID-19 pandemic. It's almost a biblical plague it seems like."

"The worst thing in the world is to try to cancel holidays," he continued. "Should we try to navigate Christmas so there is less risk of spread? Smaller gatherings, wearing masks? Yes. Should people be punished the way that the Denver Broncos are being punished for lack of a mask? No!"

Siegel went on to gripe that "everything secular" is the "wrong idea" in a pandemic.

"We need to get together carefully, with social distancing, with masks and pray for the future here," he said. "But a really, really bad idea to cancel Christmas."