Residents in care homes across Scotland will be allowed visitors inside from today for the first time this year.
Campaigners welcomed the move which will see each resident allowed two designated visitors who will be able to visit once a week.
The Scottish Government has given the go-ahead due to the progress of the vaccination programme.
Care home visiting has been tightly restricted during the pandemic.
But data released last week showed care home coronavirus deaths had fallen by nearly two-thirds (62 percent) in the last three weeks.
Nicola Sturgeon cited the figure as the first "hard evidence" of the vaccine's impact.
Almost all residents have received the jab, along with 92 per cent of care home staff.
The government says that with the extra protection in place, the greater risk to residents' wellbeing is from a lack of family contact.
Visitors will be "strongly recommended" to take a coronavirus test on-site and will have to wear PPE.
Cathie Russell, who has been campaigning with the Care Home Relatives Scotland group, said: "We look forward to working with care home providers, public health and oversight teams to ensure that the new guidance allows residents to enjoy meaningful contact with their closest relatives and friends once more."
