Residents of long-term residential care facilities, including nursing homes, will be able to receive two visits per week from today.
Guidelines issued by the Department of Health say visits will be allowed on general compassionate grounds, where a facility has a high level of vaccinations.
Level 5 restrictions introduced at the start of the year have been challenging for much of the population. For residents and families of those in residential facilities like nursing homes, it has been particularly difficult.
Over the past three months, some visits were allowed on compassionate grounds but there are residents who have not seen loved ones since December.