Safe visiting is essential for nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international perspective

Blanket and total bans of nursing home visitors were widespread at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when governments and homes were unprepared to prevent and manage outbreaks. However, these visitor restrictions have been prolonged and often reinstated after having been lifted, despite increased home and health system readiness and mounting evidence of harms to residents. Further, in most nursing homes, visitor bans were introduced without discussion or consent from residents or their advocates, constituting a violation of the resident’s rights to have visitors.