By Care home restrictions to relax in England
Care home restrictions are set to relax across England on Monday 31 January, the Government announced.
There will no longer be a limit on how many visitors residents can receive into care homes.
Self-isolation is also being cut from 28 days to just 14 days with the majority of residents (86.5 percent) already having received their booster vaccines.
Requirements for testing or self-isolation following normal visits out will also be removed completely.
The news is part of the Government’s latest plans to end Plan B restrictions as of today, Thursday 27 January.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid reportedly said: “I know how vital companionship is to those living in care homes and the positive difference visits make.”
However, the lack of care home restrictions may increase staff shortages which have already become a major problem throughout England.
Infection rates may also climb due to the rise in visitations.
Nadra Ahmed, head of the National Care Association, told BBC Radio 4: “As long as we can do things safely then we should be able to do all of the above with the visiting and I think nothing should compromise the wellbeing of the individuals physically and mentally.
“But it is about that safety and the responsibility that’s on the provider to make it all happen and keep everybody safe – those are the worries we would have.”
Other upcoming changes in restrictions include how care workers will only be asked to take lateral flow tests before shifts, instead of how they currently have to provide weekly asymptomatic PCR tests.
The change is set to take place on Wednesday 16 February across England.
Self-isolation – for positive cases – will also be reduced from 14 days to just 10.
Further reductions will occur for those who test negative on days five and six.
(Image: Georg Arthur Pflueger)
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