Forget everything you think you know about care homes,

Thank you  for working with us through months of difficult visiting rules, which I know some of you have felt were unhappily restrictive.

We don’t know if any of “this” is really over but together we have kept Covid out of Coombe and kept all your loved ones safe and well.

As part of the lifting of the Plan B measures in England, from Monday 31 January:

• there will be no limit on the number of visitors allowed at care homes
• essential care givers will to be able to keep visiting during a Covid outbreak
• residents will no longer need to test or self-isolate following normal visits out with family
• isolation periods for those in care following an emergency hospital visit will be reduced from 14 days to a maximum of 10 days

Care home staff in England must already be vaccinated (unless exempt).

By 16 February care workers will be asked to take lateral flow tests (LFTs) before their shifts, replacing the current system which includes weekly PCR tests.

The self-isolation period for those who test positive will be reduced from 14 to 10 days, with the ability to end it even earlier, subject to testing negative on days five and six.

Care homes will only have to follow outbreak management rules for 14 rather than 28 days.

Could I ask that you continue to give us advance warning of visits and LFD test yourselves each time just before you come

Thank you for all your help