- Unlimited visiting for care home residents to return
- Reduced isolation following a COVID-19 infection for those receiving care
Restrictions in place to help prevent the spread of Omicron in adult social care will now be eased as Plan B measures are removed.
From Monday 31 January, there will be no limit on the number of visitors allowed into care homes and self-isolation periods will be cut and now care homes only have to follow outbreak management rules for 14 rather than 28 days.
By Wednesday 16 February, care workers will be asked to use LFD tests before their shifts replacing the current system which included the use of weekly asymptomatic PCR tests.
The safety of care home residents will continue to be the priority. The new measures will ensure there are still robust protections in place to protect them while case rates in the community remain high.
Changes to testing and isolation requirements for those receiving care include:
- Self-isolation periods reduced from 14 to 10 days for those who test positive, with further reductions if they test negative on days five and six
- Isolation periods for those in care following an emergency hospital visit will be reduced from 14 to a maximum 10 days, in line with the NHS and following the latest advice from SAGE
- Removing testing or self-isolation requirements following normal visits out
Updated guidance will be published in due course with further details on changes to visiting, isolation and testing.
The government will continue to provide LFDs free of charge in the coming months, but universal free provision will end at a later stage as the government’s response to the virus changes.