The next phase of the easing of Plan B measures in England comes into effect from today (Monday 31 January) for all adult care homes across Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Work-from-home guidance and mandatory mask-wearing in shops and public transport have already been scrapped.
Large venues, which are required by law to check the vaccination status of people entering their premises, have also been scrapped.
Read more: Covid-19: What is Plan A and when will face mask rules in stores end?
But today it’s the turn of care homes to relax rules on visitors and self-isolation periods. It means it will be easier for friends, family and loved ones to visit people who are in an adult nursing home. So what exactly is changing? Here’s what we know.
Covid-19: Birmingham care home rules ending today
The easing of Plan B restrictions has resulted in a number of measures being dropped. Aged care homes are the latest to have had some of their rules scrapped.
As of today (Monday 31st January) there is no limit to the number of people who are allowed to visit someone in a care home. Under the rules of Plan B, only three named visitors and one supervisor were allowed to visit.
Essential caregivers are still allowed to visit an adult nursing home to provide support and relief during a coronavirus outbreak.
And if there is an outbreak of the coronavirus, adult nursing home staff must follow administrative procedures for 14 days, not 28 days.
Other changes as lockdown measures ease include rules for the self-isolation period. Self-isolation times will be reduced from 14 days to 10 days for those who test positive for Covid-19, with the period ending after six days if they test negative on days five and six.
The self-isolation period for those going to emergency care at a hospital will also be reduced from 14 days to 10 days.
Another change, taking effect Wednesday, February 16, will be a transition from using weekly asymptomatic PCR testing to lateral flow devices before an adult nursing home worker begins their work shift.
More information and changes are expected in the coming days. A government spokesman said: “Updated guidance will be issued in due course with further details on changes to visits, isolation and testing.”
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