Care home residents to be allowed two visitors
Care home residents will be allowed a second regular indoor visitor from April 12, the Government has announced, while babies and young children can also attend.
Infants and children are not counted as one of the two visitors, meaning care home residents in England will be allowed to see small bubbles of loved ones for the first time in months.
It comes amid reports that vaccinated Brits could be able to travel abroad and avoid quarantine restrictions under Government plans to allow foreign summer holidays.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to signal on in an official announcement today that foreign getaway destinations will be ranked under a traffic light system when international travel restrictions ease.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that the drop in community infection and vaccine rollout means the increase in visitor numbers can go ahead as set out in the road map out of lockdown.
The DHSC said visitors would be allowed to hold hands but that personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn, while a negative rapid lateral flow test will also be required from adult visitors before entry is permitted.
Mr Johnson said: "Reuniting family and friends has been a priority each time restrictions have eased, and the next step will be no different.
"I'm particularly pleased to allow residents to have more visitors, including grandchildren, given the isolation and concern felt by so many this past year.
"Thanks to the tireless work of care home staff, and the success of the vaccine rollout, we're able to increase the number of visits in a safe and controlled way."