Coronavirus: Care homes in Scotland can reopen to visitors from 3 July

Care home residents in Scotland will be able to have visitors from 3 July, if that setting has not had a coronavirus case or has been free of the virus for 28 days.

Scotland’s health secretary Jeane Freeman making the announcement today (25 June) said, as part of a “cautious” phased approach, visits at first will be restricted to outside with a single visitor required to wear a face covering.

'Significant progress has been made'

Speaking during the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing, Jeanne Freeman said: "I know that these necessary restrictions that were placed on care homes and the pause on normal activities and routines have been both difficult and at times distressing for people living in care homes, for their loved ones and for the staff.

"But significant progress has been made and we have seen improvements in the number of care homes with ongoing infections, to the extent that we can now see a phased return - a cautious, phased return - to visiting in care homes when and where it is clinically safe to do so."

The Scottish Government has published guidance on visitors and group activities in care homes. The phased approach will go from outdoor visiting, to indoor visiting by one designated person and ‘eventually to a controlled programme of outdoor and indoor visiting’.

In the guidance, Scotland’s Health Secretary said: “Only outside visiting with a named key visitor using appropriate physical distancing and safety measures can be permitted from 3 July. When the scientific advice states that it is safe to do so, we can then gradually open up further visiting options”.

Donald Macaskill, the chief executive of Scottish Care, which represents care homes, has welcomed the announcement.

Mr Macaskill tweeted: "Clearly very pleased to hear the announcement from @JeaneF1MSP and the publication of the Guidance on #CareHome Visiting. A very welcome step in balancing safety with the urgent need to restore relationships."

Daily data for 22 June, published on the Scottish Government's website, revealed there were 340 care homes with a case of suspected COVID-19 – that’s 31 per cent of Scotland’s care homes.

National Records of Scotland figures (published on 17 June) has revealed the number of COVID-19 deaths in care homes fell for the seventh consecutive week to 35 deaths for the week ending 14 June.