Care home residents are to finally be reunited with loved ones as Matt Hancock lifts ban on visits in England because the coronavirus outbreak has ‘fizzled out’
- Care home residents in England will be allowed one ‘constant visitor’ each
- Rules require them to maintain social distancing and wear masks during visit
- Care homes are one of the last places to have their restrictions loosened
- Elderly people and those with dementia are most at risk of dying of Covid-19
People living in care homes in England will be allowed family visits again for the first time lockdown started in March, the Government has announced.
The Department of Health today gave care homes the green light to start arranging visits as long as social distancing and protective equipment rules are followed.
Each resident will be allowed one ‘constant visitor’ who can visit regularly as long as they book in advance and wear a mask and extra PPE if required.
The much-anticipated move brings England in line with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have already begun to allow family visits.
Local councils and public health officials will decide on a case-by-case basis which homes will be able to reopen, depending on levels of coronavirus in the area.
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said: ‘I know how painful it has been for those in care homes not being able to receive visits from their loved ones throughout this period.
‘We are now able to carefully and safely allow visits to care homes, which will be based on local knowledge and circumstances for each care home.
‘It is really important that we don’t undo all of the hard work of care homes over the last few months while ensuring families and friends can be safely reunited so we have put in place guidance that protects everyone.’
Some care homes have allowed relatives to visit in a drive-through setup but none have been able to let family members inside the homes for fear they would carry Covid-19 in with them (Pictured: Residents receiving outdoor visits at a home in Banbury, Oxfordshire)
Local public health officials will decide whether visiting should be allowed at homes in their community, in a sign the Government is moving away from its top-down approach to the crisis.
Visitors will need to wear a face covering and wash their hands thoroughly before and after putting it on and taking it off.
If there is a pick-up in community transmission then some visitors may need to wear extra PPE, including gloves and aprons.
Providers will decide whether visits should take place in a communal garden or outdoor area, where the fresh air and heat make it hard for the virus to spread.