Nicola Sturgeon coronavirus briefing: Care home visits to begin again in March

Scots will be able to visit relatives in care homes from the beginning of March, according to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Speaking at the Scottish Government daily briefing, Ms Sturgeon said she recognised that the “inability to visit loved ones” during the lockdown had been “a source of anxiety, distress, and real trauma”, but said she hoped the new rules would be a “really important move forward.”

From the start of March, new guidance will recommend that all care homes that are able to, should assign each resident with two designated visitors.

Face coverings and “rigorous hygiene” rules will still be in place.

It comes as the First Minister confirmed that an additional 34 deaths occurred in care homes in the week ending Sunday, February 21.

The First Minister said that, while it was not a “complete return to normal yet”, the change represented a “a big step back to a more normal way of life”.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.