The Camelot House and Lodge care home in Wellington is among the first to receive a supply of the new rapid Covid-19 test kits – with millions set to be rolled out across the UK before Christmas – and has resumed close-to-normal meetings between residents and loved ones for the first time in months.

Six team members at the home have undergone approved training and passed competency tests to ensure the new ‘lateral flow’ rapid test kits – which give results in just 30 minutes – are administered in the right way.

Among the first to be tested and admitted for a personal visit was Ginny Harvey, daughter of resident Pam Boyle.

After watching mum and daughter’s emotional reunion, Bonnie Frear, deputy manager of Camelot House and Lodge, said: “We have wanted all our relatives’ families to be able to resume visiting them in person and it has been a long time coming.

“Today has just been amazing. To see Ginny and Pam together again has been really heart-warming.

“The tests that we have had delivered are enough for two visits a week for each resident, plus staff. Hopefully it will start bringing us back into some sort of normality which is what we all want.”

The Department of Health and Social Care has said these tests should enable visits to re-start in all tiers in all care homes that are free of Covid-19.

Hand-holding and hugging are permitted as long as other infection control measures are followed, although visitors are still asked to minimise contact as far as possible and wear personal protective equipment to help protect residents.