I have just sent off the latest of these - has to be done despite the "deafening silence" of the responses! - see above). If you didn't receive this you need to sign up in the "Campaigning" section of the website.
It seems to me that many Carehome managers realise the damage being done by lockdown isolationto both residents AND their relatives. The risks CAN be managed by training and by testing a nominated relative alongside staff (which may well make the visitor SAFER THAN THE STAFF!).
So why isn't that happening? What are lockdowns now being widely imposed?
I would suggest that Councils are terrified of being accused of negligence (as the Government rightly were for over 2000 care home deaths) - but also that Carehome owners are also risk-averse. Why? - because of fear over potential litigation maybe, but also must weigh the factor of empty rooms = potential unviability for their business (a disaster for us all).
I do hope that if the long-promised but never-delivered review of care homes ever comes about then serious consideration will be given to take the care for those whose medical affliction has taken the turn of mental rather than physical illness back into the fold of public provision as a shared responsibility between NHS and Local Authority.