Indoor care home visits will resume in Scotland next month.
The Scottish Government confirmed on Saturday that routine visits will begin from 'early march'.
It comes as care home Covid-19 deaths in Scotland have fallen by 62 per cent in the past three weeks.
Residents will be granted two designated visitors.
Each visitor will be allowed to visit once a week.
Almost all older care home residents and staff, 99.9 per cent and 92 per cent respectively, have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Scotland's care home scandal saw 35 per cent of all Covid-19 deaths so far come from care homes.
Health Secretary Jeanne Freeman welcomes the news but insists Scots 'remain vigilant'.
She said: “The decisions regarding restrictions on visiting for care home residents have been some of the most difficult we have faced and I have the greatest sympathy for those who have been unable to see relatives and loved ones in person for so long.
“Care home staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to support continued contact between residents and their loved ones but these restrictions have been hugely challenging for them, as well as for care home staff and colleagues.
“We deeply regret the deaths and other harm caused by coronavirus in our care homes, but we also recognise the harm caused to the wellbeing of residents and families as a result of an inability to see those they love.
“We must remain vigilant about the risks but with multiple layers of protection now in place the balance is in favour of allowing visits."
Ms Freeman maintained that extra precautions to ensure the safety of both residents, staff and visitors will remain in place.
She added: "Everyone, including visitors, has a responsibility to ensure that visits take place as safely as possible by continuing to follow safety advice.
“The additional protection in place includes infection prevention and control measures (IPC); personal protective equipment (PPE) in care homes and testing of staff and visiting professionals to care homes, which have developed processes and protocols for safer indoor visiting to take place."
Commenting, Scottish Conservative Shadow Health Secretary Donald Cameron said: “This will be greeted with an overwhelming sense of relief by families who have loved ones in care homes. Many won’t have seen or had physical contact with their relatives for almost a year, and will be counting down the days until they can hug them again.
“While protecting our most vulnerable has always been the priority, this represents a hugely positive step forward for our care home residents and provide them with long overdue family time.
“SNP Ministers must ensure that the guidance they publish on Wednesday is clear and practical so the return of visitors to care homes can operate as smoothly and safely as possible.”
Cathie Russell of Care Home Relatives Scotland said: “We look forward to working with care home providers, public health and oversight teams to ensure that the new guidance allows residents to enjoy meaningful contact with their closest relatives and friends once more. It has been a very difficult year. The deepest ties of love are important and we can never thrive without them.”
Donald MacAskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, said: “The COVID pandemic has presented frontline care home staff and managers with many challenges but undoubtedly the hardest has been keeping residents apart from family and friends.
“We have now reached a very different place and with a range of COVID-19 protections in place, including vaccination and testing, combined with the use of PPE and IPC, we are at a stage where we can re-introduce safer indoor visiting to Scotland’s care homes. This day has been long-awaited and we understand that it will be an emotional time for many.
“Scottish Care is committed to supporting staff and managers, residents and family, to make sure that these guidelines succeed in their aim of reconnecting individuals.
"We commit to working together to overcome any challenges and difficulties we might face and to support those who may still be anxious and fearful, so that together we can ensure that a painful period of separation can be replaced by greater togetherness.”
Regular visits should resume from early March.
The Scottish Government expects all care homes to 'have embraced the guidance' by mid-March.
Initially, children under the age of 16 should only be classed as a designated visitor for indoor contact under exceptional circumstance.
Outdoor visits for children under 16 are still encouraged.
According to National Records of Scotland (NRS) care homes now account for a smaller proportion of Covid-19 deaths last week, than at any time since March of last year.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiWmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5cmVjb3JkLmNvLnVrL25ld3Mvc2NvdHRpc2gtbmV3cy9jYXJlLWhvbWUtdmlzaXRzLXNjb3RsYW5kLXJlc3VtZS0yMzUzNDMyMNIBAA?oc=5
2021-02-20 10:29:59Z
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