Visitors will also be able to bring young children and babies with them
Care home residents in England will be permitted to have two regular visitors indoors when Covid-19 restrictions are eased on April 12.
Visitors will also be able to bring young children and babies with them, which will mean some residents will meet grandchildren and great-grandchildren for the first time.
Under current restrictions, residents have been allowed one nominated visitor from early March.
However, the government have said that the drop in community infection rates following the vaccine rollout justifies the increase in visitors.
The age of the “young children” has yet to be specified by the government, with full guidance to be published later this week. Babies and toddlers will not be counted as one of the two visitors, however.
The news comes after Boris Johnson warned that people should not meet friends or family indoors this Easter weekend, regardless of whether or not they have been vaccinated.
In a video posted to social media, the PM said: “We’re still very much in the world where you can meet friends and family outdoors under the rule of six or two households.
“Even though your friends and family members may be vaccinated, the vaccines are not giving 100 per cent protection, and that’s why we just need to be cautious.”
The PM added: “We don’t think that they entirely reduce or remove the risk of transmission.”