Fresh guidance issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has banned close-contact visits in English care homes located in Tier 4 areas.
The new rules state visits in Tier 4 areas - such as London and large parts of the south-east England – must take place only place behind substantial screens, in visiting pods or through windows.
“We know visiting restrictions in care homes have been very difficult for residents, their families and staff and we have done everything we can to safely enable visits and reunite loved ones,” said a DHSC spokesperson.
“In the face of a new variant of the virus, we have acted to protect those most at risk in care homes,” the spokesperson added.
“Visits to care homes can still take place in Tier 4 with arrangements such as substantial screens or visiting pods but, for the safety of loved ones, close-contact indoor visits supported by testing cannot take place in Tier 4 areas.”
The DHSC guidance states providers of care homes located in Tiers 1-3 should enable indoor visits where the visitor has been tested and returned a negative result, except in the event of an active outbreak.
