People transferring from hospitals to care homes will no longer need to isolate if they have had a negative PCR test in the previous 48 hours, so long as they have no symptoms of a respiratory virus and have not been exposed to covid over the previous 14 days.
The isolation period for care home residents testing positive, or for close contacts of covid cases, is also being cut from 14 days to ten days to bring restrictions closer to those for the general public.
The measures are being taken in line with clinical and public health advice, recognising the high levels of vaccination in care homes and the need to balance the risk and impact of infection for people living in a communal setting against the potential harms caused to residents by long periods self-isolating.
Residents who have been in hospital for acute overnight stays will also no longer need to isolate, and will not need a negative PCR test, provided there is no clinical reason to think that they have covid.
Ms Harper said: “I welcome the change in guidance for care homes with regard to self-isolation measures for residents testing positive for covid. We know isolating for longer time periods can be distressing and harmful for care home residents and for their loved ones, so I know this news will be welcomed by many and it is also crucial that care homes continue to support indoor visiting.
“Individual care homes will determine group sizes and numbers taking into account the size of the visiting area and other factors.”
