Public health officials say it’s OK to hug loved ones at nursing homes again in many circumstances. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released updated guidance Wednesday that relaxes recommendations for indoor nursing home visits. 

The new guidelines say that facilities should allow “responsible indoor visitation at all times and for all residents, regardless of vaccination status of the resident, or visitor, unless certain scenarios arise.”

The move is in response to significant reductions in COVID-19 infections and high vaccination rates among nursing home residents, the CMS said.

The agency recommends that visits should remain more limited when the COVID-19 positivity rate in a nursing home’s county is higher than 10% or if less than 70% of the residents at the facility have been fully vaccinated.

The guidance says visits to residents who have confirmed COVID-19 cases or are in quarantine should also be restricted, but it advises facilities not to suspend visits if there is no evidence the virus has spread beyond a single unit.

The agency also makes “compassionate care” exceptions for visits to residents near death or in decline or distress.

Public health officials continue to recommend outdoor visits, and they encourage facilities, residents and their families to continue following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, including maintaining physical distancing. 

“However, we acknowledge the toll that separation and isolation has taken,” the CMS said. “We also acknowledge that there is no substitute for physical contact, such as the warm embrace between a resident and their loved one. Therefore, if the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact (including touch) with their visitor while wearing a well-fitting facemask.”

The CMS also is encouraging visitors to get vaccinated whenever they can.

According to CDC data, more than 31% of Americans 65 or older have been fully vaccinated, and more than 61% have received at least one dose.

The CDC updated it guidance this week to say that Americans who have been fully vaccinated can gather in small groups with other vaccinated people without social distancing or wearing masks.