London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 24, 2025

Covid outbreaks leave hundreds of care homes in England closed to relatives

Covid outbreaks leave hundreds of care homes in England closed to relatives

Government yet to publish updated guidance on visiting, isolating and testing despite its pledge of full reopening on Monday

Hundreds of care homes in England remain closed to relatives because of Covid outbreaks, despite the government promising the return of “unlimited visiting” from Monday.

Last week the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) scrapped rules put in place in December that restricted visits.

However, 534 care homes in England reported Covid outbreaks to the UK Health Security Agency in the third week of January and many remain locked down to all but essential caregivers, with one designated person per resident allowed in.

The DHSC said last Thursday that from 31 January there would be “no limit on the number of visitors”, adding that “self-isolation periods will be cut and now care homes only have to follow outbreak management rules for 14 rather than 28 days”.

Updated guidance on visiting, isolating and testing had not been published by Monday morning, however, leaving many care home managers telling families that restrictions remained.

Nadra Ahmed, the chair of the National Care Association, said the announcement about the easing of restrictions had come at a “challenging time”. “This virus has not gone away and we know there are around 50% of care services with outbreaks in them who will not be able to implement the guidance when it comes,” she said.

Helen Wildbore, the director of the Relatives and Residents Association, said there was “confusion and caution as providers hadn’t even seen the new guidance”.

Anita Astle, the manager of Wren Hall care home in Nottingham, said she has told relatives they won’t be changing rules immediately.

“I don’t know how we are going to do this in a risk-assessed manner if we don’t know how many [visitors] they will be and how long they will be [there],” she said. “We are not just going to be flinging the doors open.”


Jenny Morrison, a co-founder of the Rights for Residents group, which is campaigning for care home visiting rights to be enshrined in law, said: “Covid is no longer the biggest killer of the frail and vulnerable, and policies must reflect this reality. There is mounting evidence that thousands of excess deaths during the pandemic have resulted from loneliness and isolation and the government needs to urgently produce outbreak management guidance that takes into account the variety of risks.”

The opening-up has started to have some positive effects. Brendoncare, which operates care homes in the south of England, said it would be opening for visits from Monday.

Bruce Cutts, whose 89-year-old mother, Jane, is in a care home in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, was able to have her home for lunch on Sunday.

“Mum was in tears when she could meet friends she hadn’t seen since December after weeks in a rolling lockdown,” he said, although he expects the reprieve to be only temporary.

“The fact the rules have been loosened is great but all that stops as soon as there are two positive tests and the home goes back into lockdown,” he said. “I am sure that in the next week or so there will be another outbreak, which means Mum will be plunged back into safe storage, which is crushing her spirit.”

Judith Nesbittt, whose 96-year-old mother is in a care home in the north-east, said the isolation has been “heartbreaking”. Her mother ate Christmas dinner alone in her room when she was in 14-day isolation after an emergency hospital visit.

Now a staff member has tested positive and there is another lockdown at the home, until 10 February.

“As care home staff get on with their lives, there are going to continue to be positive tests, meaning our loved ones continue to be treated as prisoners and locked away from their families,” Nesbitt said. “Life is finite: many residents, including my mum, are running out of the time they should be spending with their loved ones.”

A DHSC spokesperson said: “Thanks to the progress we’ve made, care home restrictions can now be eased further allowing residents to see more of their loved ones from today.

“Updated guidance will be published shortly with further details on changes to visiting, isolation and testing.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
×