It is the first measure towards lifting the Covid-19 lockdown to have been announced so far. Lateral flow testing kits are small and give fast results but are believed to be somewhat less accurate than the PCR tests notably used by NHS Test and Trace.
One regular visitor per care home resident will be allowed from March 8 (Picture: SWNS/PA)
They will be able to hold hands and socialise indoors, although hugging and kissing will not be permitted and the visitor will have to wear PPE. Visitors will also have to take a coronavirus lateral flow test before they can enter. Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the change as a ‘first step to getting back to where we want to be’ and said greater visiting rights will be introduced gradually if infection rates stay down.There is still some debate over whether they are appropriate when used to ‘green-light’ activities that would normally be considered too much of an infection risk. Every care home resident in the UK has now been offered their first Covid vaccine.
Visits are currently allowed to take place outdoors or behind Covid-safe screens (Picture: PA)
Studies have established the jab becomes effective after three weeks, suggesting all those who are inoculated by March 8 will be protected from the virus. Three in 10 care home staff have yet to receive their initial dose, according to the latest NHS England data, although the new measure has been informed by advice from the deputy chief medical officers and Public Health England.
Care home residents are currently allowed to meet loved ones outdoors or behind Covid-safe screens. Care Minister Helen Whately added: ‘Throughout this pandemic we have sought clinical guidance on how visits can be conducted safely.
All care home residents have now been offered their first dose of the Covid vaccine (Picture: PA)
We had to restrict the majority of visiting when the new variant was discovered but we have done all we can to enable visits to continue in some form. That includes providing funding towards costs of screens and PPE.
‘As we begin to open up we will move step by step to increase visits while remembering we are still in the grip of a global pandemic.’ Professor Deborah Sturdy, chief nurse for adult social care, said: ‘I know how much people want to visit, hug and kiss their loved ones but doing so can put lives at risk so we would ask people to continue to follow the rules.
‘This is a first step towards resuming indoor visits and we all hope to be able to take further steps in the future. ‘I am pleased as a result of so many people following the rules we are in a position to increase visits and hope this is just the start.’ For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here. For our Coronavirus live blog click here.
