People can visit their loved ones in care homes during the latest national lockdown - but only through windows, behind screens or outdoors.
New Government guidance says care home visits will be allowed to continue during the four-week lockdown in England but with strict safety measures in place.
These include having designated visitor pods with floor-to-ceiling screens and separate entrances to ensure families do not mix with residents.
Visits at windows or where the person does not leave the car will be permitted.
Care home residents can meet one other person outside as long as their loved one does not enter the main building.
People will also be encouraged to continue the use of video calls.
The guidance says these rules can be waived for deathbed visits and other exceptional circumstances.
The strict measures come after the virus caused devastation in care homes in the first wave of the pandemic, with nearly 20,000 deaths linked to Covid-19 between March and June.
Family visits to care homes were banned in England until July to curb the spread of the virus among vulnerable residents.
Announcing the move, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I know how heart-breaking and incredibly frustrating it has been for families and friends who haven’t been able to see their loved ones during the pandemic.
“Care homes should feel empowered by this new guidance to look at safe options to allow visits to care homes that suit their residents and facilities. We’ve seen some really innovative solutions used to help families see each other safely, face-to-face, which has been life-changing for some.
“It is vital high quality, compassionate care and infection control remains at the heart of every single care home to protect staff and resident’s lives, but we must allow families to reunite in the safest way possible.”
Plans for a named visitor scheme - to allow specific family and friends to visit - will be trialled later this month.
However this means it will not be in place before the new lockdown measures come into force.
Ministers said a national programme of weekly testing for staff visiting care homes, including community nurses and physiotherapists, will also be rolled out in the coming weeks.
The guidance adds: "It is recommended homes have an arrangement to enable bookings or appointments for visitors and ad hoc visits should not be permitted."
