A CARE home has revealed how it has stayed Covid-free since the start of the pandemic – as it gets ready to welcome back visitors.

Staff at Higher Bank Care Home in Blackburn are proud to have kept the home free from coronavirus through their extensive care.

The home's 22 residents have not had direct contact with any of their family members, except video calls and seeing them through the window.

Isabel Coughlin, one of the managers, said: “We have been doing things in accordance with the government's guidance. The residents have been shielding all this time.”

From Monday, residents at the home will finally be able to see their relatives in person, although tests will have to be carried out to ensure they do not have Covid-19.

Anyone admitted to the home has first had tests and gone into self-isolation regardless of whether they test positive or not.

Mrs Coughlin said: “A lot of other care homes were letting people in without testing them first, but we did not do that.”

Everybody at the care home was subject to temperature checks on arrival as well as three tests a week while residents are tested every 28 days.

Mrs Coughlin said: “The problem with most care homes is that they weren’t testing people before bringing them in.

“Some of the residents are happy to not see anyone as long as they are safe because even now things are not completely okay, coronavirus hasn’t gone yet.”

Families are grateful to the home for keeping loved ones safe throughout the pandemic. To thank them for their hard-work, relatives have put a banner outside the home. Residents and staff are baking cakes for Royal Blackburn Hospital to thank them for their care during the pandemic.

Mrs Coughlin said: “It has been difficult at times, the same as it has for everyone and we had to entertain the residents as well as care for them.

“Usually, we bring people in for them but we couldn’t obviously do that, but we still had our themed nights. We have just tried to make the best of the situation and the residents have just adapted. They are grateful that we have kept them safe during this time and if that means they cannot see their family then they would rather that.”