MORE people in Wales can now visit their loved ones inside care homes for the first time in more than a year.

The Welsh Government has revised its guidance on care home visits, allowing more people to visit indoors.

Until now, only two designated visitors could make visits indoors - but now anyone can visit, though residents can still only see two people at a time.

And it is down to individual care homes and councils to decide whether visits can be allowed.

The latest revision to the Welsh Government's guidance on care homes states: "We expect and encourage providers to facilitate visits wherever possible, and to do so in a risk managed way.

"Providers should consider their local Incident Management Team (IMT) advice on visiting. However, the decision on how visits take place, rests with the provider.

"Providers should weigh the impact of visits on well-being and risks, upholding people's rights."

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The guidance says: "Restrictions on visiting may be placed: On homes within a certain area of the local authority;

on homes within the entire local authority area; nationally by Welsh Government.

"If there is an active incident or outbreak of Covid-19 at the care home, visiting will be restricted to exceptional circumstances.

"However, window visits are permitted during an outbreak where this can be supported."