Retirement and nursing homes The longer the restrictions lasted, the more criticism was expressed at isolating the residents and shielding them from the desired social contacts. Furthermore, it quickly became clear that this did not help prevent outbreaks of infection and deaths in homes. The numbers of complaints increased from persons who missed their spouse, mother, father or grandparents and feared that they would suffer emotional harm and pass away alone. The management of some homes joined the criticism and demanded political support in carefully reopening their doors without being subject to criminal investigation in the event of COVID-19 infections. The NPM took up and supported this appeal. The Austrian National Public Health Institute was tasked by the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection with developing possible solutions, to which the NPM also contributed content. Due to the considerable fall in cases of new infections, the Ministry issued recommendations for the gradual easing of visiting restrictions in retirement and nursing homes from 4 May and 6 June 2020. There have been no more nationwide visiting bans since then. Restrictions eased during the summer The manner in which visits are managed is at the discretion of the individual homes. Appointments for visits in dedicated areas – preferably outside – were possible again from May 2020. Visits in rooms, however, were only allowed in most cases in critical phases of life or supporting dying persons. Commissions observed that inside the homes visitor boxes or berths partitioned by plexiglass in open areas or cafés had been set up. Many relatives found wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing difficult because they felt that those in need of care who have cognitive impairments or poor sight or are hard of hearing could not be reached emotionally. In some cases, commissions complained that confidential conversations were not possible in the cramped visitor areas. Some visiting regulations reminded the relatives more of a “prison situation”, as the staff was constantly in sight to monitor whether social distancing was being maintained or people were touching. The time allowed for visits also varied greatly depending on the Land and home operator. In many cases, the fact that visits by appointment for only one member of the family respectively were allowed and limited to 15 to 30 minutes gave grounds for conflict. In some homes it was clearly noticeable to the commissions that the staff dedicatedly supported the residents allowing them to have contact with their relatives. In this way, around 32 visits were possible per day in a home in Tyrol with the help of volunteers; in another home over 60 visits were possible per day. Regulated visiting Commission 6 criticised that visiting times in a home in south Burgenland were only possible between 12.30 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. Commission 4 questioned why visiting times in a home in Vienna were only possible on weekdays, thus being a barrier to the working population. The management of homes justified this with having to organise visits in such a way that risks are mitigated. They said that advance registration, checks on the day of the visit and disinfecting surfaces after every contact from outside already bound more staff than is 38