Covid: Care home visitors to trial regular testing

People visiting relatives and friends in care homes will be able to access regular coronavirus testing as part of a trial, the government has announced.

A new pilot in England will see screening rolled out across 20 care homes in Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall.

Other regions will see regular tests before Christmas, the government said.

Tests for one family member or friend for each resident could end restrictions on visits, when used with other measures such as face coverings.

Announcing the trial, which begins next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he acknowledged how "heartbreaking restricting visits to care homes has been" for both residents and their loved ones.

He added: "By respecting social distancing and staying at home as much as possible we will help reunite families and friends with loved ones in care homes as quickly as possible."

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The Alzheimer's Society praised ministers for recognising their calls over "the integral role that family carers play in supporting their loved ones with dementia" but worried the change in approach could have come too late for some.

The charity said: "We worry it is too little too late for the desperate families who have been waiting eight months to visit their loved ones.

"The promise of care home visitors being at the front of the line to get more ring-fenced tests as the new ones become available must fast become reality."

"We have to recognise the terrible mental health toll on people with dementia simply giving up on life as well as on the many thousands of grieving families who haven't been able to be with their loved ones in their last months, weeks and days, and who will never be able to get that precious time back."

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Separately, rapid Covid tests in care homes were described by researchers as a potential game-changer for vulnerable people and their families.

Access to fast tests will make it easier for relatives to visit care home residents isolated by the pandemic and staff at four care homes in England have been trained to carry out and analyse the tests as part of a trial.

Many care homes first shut their doors to visitors in March to try to protect residents from the spread of coronavirus.