CARE home residents could soon see their first visitors in months after the Scottish Government unveiled plans for a "phased return" of visiting from next week.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman revealed that homes will be able to permit visitors from July 3 if that institution has not had a coronavirus case or has been free of the virus for 28 days.

In the first phase, these visits will need to happen outside with guests required to wear a face covering.

Scotland's care homes have been in lockdown since March, leaving many older folk spearated from their loved ones. The only exception was to allow family members to spend time with someone at the end of their life.

Freeman told the Scottish Government's coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh: "I know that these necessary restrictions that were placed on care homes and the pause on normal activities and routines have been both difficult and at times distressing for people living in care homes, for their loved ones and for the staff.

"The decision to restrict visitors was not taken lightly, it was informed by scientific and clinical advice and was taken to protect those living and working in care homes and visitors from the risk of infection.

"But significant progress has been made and we have seen improvements in the number of care homes with ongoing infections, to the extent that we can now see a phased return - a cautious, phased return - to visiting in care homes when and where it is clinically safe to do so."

She said the Scottish Government has published guidance to support the return to visiting and communal activities in care homes.

Freeman added the Scottish Government is also working on a phased reintroduction to visiting in hospitals and other healthcare settings and she hopes to announce details of this next week.

Donald Macaskill, the CEO of trade body Scottish Care welcomed the news. He tweeted: "Clearly very pleased to hear the announcement from @JeaneF1MSP and the publication of the Guidance on #CareHome Visiting. A very welcome step in balancing safety with the urgent need to restore relationships."

Scotland's care homes have been badly hit by the virus. 

The most recent figures from the National Records of Scotland revealed that  31% of adult care homes in Scotland currently have at least one suspected case of coronavirus, with 64% having reported one at some point.

2,463 excess deaths have  been recorded in care homes since March 16, around 72% above average.