Care home residents will be able to be visited indoors by, and hold hands with, a single named individual from 8 March, but shielders will be asked to continue shielding until 31 March despite schools reopening, according to the ‘roadmap’ set out by Boris Johnson this week.
The plan sets out key dates for reopening the country: 8 March, when schools reopen and care homes can open up to singular named visitors; 12 April, when leisure facilities and outdoor hospitality may reopen; 17 May when indoor contact and venues may reopen with limits; and 21 June when larger groups and events may be allowed. All dates are dependent on the outcomes of monitoring for vaccine take up, vaccine efficiency resulting in less hospitalisations and deaths, surges in the NHS, and new variants emerging.
The Cabinet Office confirmed that all shielders will receive letters by the middle of March.
Read the roadmap here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021
Special Needs Jungle has produced a grab and go version of the back to school guidance for families with children in SEND settings.