An examination by Reuters of the guidance issued to care homes has provided no evidence that any such early lockdown was ordered
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Picture: GETTY IMAGES/MIKHAIL SVETLOV
The government's handling of care homes has emerged as a major controversy in parliament. According to a Reuters analysis of official figures, the pandemic has resulted in over 20,000 deaths in UK care homes. Instead, the document from Public Health England, an official agency, advised home providers to “review their visiting policy by asking no-one to visit who has suspected Covid-19 or is generally unwell, and by emphasising good hand hygiene for visitors.” Balancing those restrictions, it said that care home policies “should also consider the wellbeing of residents, and the positive impact of seeing friends and family.
In a statement, the government said it had been “keeping in regular contact with care homes to provide guidance on reducing the spread of infection. We have continued to review and update our guidance, in line with the latest scientific advice.” On May 5, when Reuters initially asked the department for health and social care when an order was first given to ban care home visits by family and friends, a media officer responded: “There was no order, care providers make their own decisions about visitors.”
“The guidance should have been far better,” she said. “It was left to care providers to make their own decisions.”
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