People living in nursing homes could soon see their relatives for the first time since March.

According to new guidelines, indoor visits of up to two people will be allowed from June 15th, at homes with no ongoing outbreak.

The visits must be pre-arranged and last no longer than half-an-hour. Each visitor will only be allowed to come once a week.

The guidelines also require all visitors to undergo temperature checks before entering the building.

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan at the nightly COVID-19 briefing, 27-05-2020. Image: Rory Walsh

The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, says nursing homes need some time to prepare for visitors:

“We are moving from the current situation where there is a blanket recommendation across the country for this visitation not to happen, to a situation where there is specific guidance providing for how it can happen in a safe way” he said.

“Nursing homes will have to set about preparing to implement [those guidelines] and we think that will take a bit of time for them to do and that’s why we have indicated a time period up to the 15th.”

The new guidelines call for homes to provide a separate entrance and exit area for visitors and for visiting times to be staggered to avoid crowding.

Visitors will have to declare whether they have had the virus or been a close contact of someone who has.

They will also have to sign in and declare that they are not suffering any symptoms of the virus.

Hoes will be expected to provide masks to any visitor that can’t maintain social distancing throughout the visit.

Visits to care homes with ongoing outbreaks will remain banned, except for in essential circumstances.