Care home residents in Basingstoke will be allowed to hold hands with a regular indoor visitor from March 8 under the Government’s plan to ease lockdown restrictions.

Visitors will be required to take a coronavirus lateral flow test before entry and personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn.

Residents will be asked not to hug or kiss their relatives, though hand holding will be permitted. Guidance for care homes is expected to be published in the next fortnight.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was “pleased” that it would soon be possible for people to be “carefully and safely reunited with loved ones who live in care homes”.

Outdoor visits – as well as those inside pods or behind screens – will be able to continue, giving residents the chance to see more than just their nominated visitor.

The Government met its target to offer all care home residents – along with social care and NHS staff, all those aged over 70 and the most clinically vulnerable – a vaccine by February 15.

Scientists believe the vaccines become effective after three weeks, meaning by March 8 all those who accepted a vaccine should have a good level of protection from Covid-19.

However, vaccination will not be a condition of visiting. Visits will also be suspended during local outbreaks in individual homes.

The Department of Health said the relaxation of the restrictions represented a balance between the risk of infection and the importance of visiting for the mental and physical wellbeing of care home residents and their families.

Mr Hancock said: “I know how important visiting a loved one is and I’m pleased we will soon be in a position for people to be carefully and safely reunited with loved ones who live in care homes.

“This is just the first step to getting back to where we want to be. We need to make sure we keep the infection rate down, to allow greater visiting in a step by step way in the future.”

The news comes after two known Covid outbreaks at care homes in Basingstoke in the last few weeks.

At least 22 residents died at Pemberley House Care Home, whilst up to eight passed away at Marnel Lodge in Popley.

Care Minister Helen Whately added: “One of the hardest things during this pandemic has been seeing families desperate to be reunited with their loved ones kept apart and I absolutely want to bring them back together.

“Throughout this pandemic we have sought clinical guidance on how visits can be conducted safely.

“We had to restrict the majority of visiting when the new variant was discovered but we have done all we can to enable visits to continue in some form. That includes providing funding towards costs of screens and PPE.

“As we begin to open up we will move step by step to increase visits while remembering we are still in the grip of a global pandemic.”