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Andrew Parsons / 10 Downing Street
Mr Hancock said he wept at reports about Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13, who died without a parent at his bedside
Close family members will be able to say goodbye to dying relatives in hospitals and care homes under new coronavirus guidelines, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.
He said the UK would introduce new steps to “limit the risk of infection” and allow goodbyes “wherever possible”.
Mr Hancock also launched a new supply network to help get personal protective equipment (PPE) to care home staff.
It comes as the number of hospital deaths in the UK rose by 761 to 12,868.
Speaking at Wednesday’s briefing, Mr Hancock said wanting to say goodbye to dying loved ones was “one of the deepest human instincts”.
He said he wept at news reports when Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13, from Brixton, south London, died alone in hospital last month.
Ismail’s close family were then unable to attend his funeral because they were self-isolating.
Announcing the new guidelines, Mr Hancock said: “I’m pleased to say that working with Public Health England, the care sector and many others, we are introducing new procedures so we can limit the risk of infection while, wherever possible, giving people’s closest loved ones the chance to say goodbye.”
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