Health Minister Robin Swann has confirmed that a review of visiting arrangements in Northern Ireland's care homes is expected to be completed by the end of this week.
This will be followed by a review of hospital and hospice settings, including maternity wards, in mid-February.
Mr Swann was responding to an Assembly question from Alliance South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw on when visiting arrangements for care homes and hospital maternity wards will be reviewed.
Scheduled reviews are held every four weeks when health professionals assess the risks impacting on visiting arrangements and whether it's appropriate to move to the next stage.
Visiting at care homes had been restricted to try to protect residents from Covid-19, with face-to-face visiting suspended in April 2020 as cases rose.
The rules were eased from last October and currently t he guidance allows up to four people from no more than two households to visit together, with a maximum of four visits a week.
Currently, new mums on maternity wards can also receive one daily visit.
However, health trusts can set their own arrangements.
Ms Bradshaw, who sits on the Health Committee, told Belfast Live she hopes to see a further easing of restrictions on visiting in these settings, especially given movement in other jurisdictions.
“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, I have received distressed communication from constituents who were so anxious to be able to visit loved-ones in care homes or wanted to accompany their partners to ante-natal appointments,” she added.
“While we have all appreciated the need to have optimal hygiene and infection control measures in place, the passage of time with the introduction of the vaccination programme and readily-available access to Lateral Flow Tests, coupled with people’s understanding of how the virus is transmitted and thereby adherence to the public health advice, has many now wondering when these restrictions can be scaled-back.
“My constituents have, ultimately, wanted to ensure that their loved-ones’ mental and emotional well-being is supported as much as possible, especially in accessing health and social care.”
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