Susanna Reid gave Matt Hancock a grilling during his return to Good Morning Britain on Monday, after a 201-day boycott from the Government coming on the ITV show.
As Hancock attempted to keep up with Piers Morgan ‘s questions, he also had to fend off tough points from Susanna who brought the focus to care homes after becoming emotional earlier in the show discussing them.
She told him: “It was inhumane, the situation where family members couldn’t attend funerals.
“It is currently an inhumane situation in our care homes with people towards the end of their lives suffering chronic loneliness because they can’t see their families.”
Susanna Reid labelled the rules on funerals and care homes ‘inhumane’ (Image: ITV)
Hancock replied: “You raise two incredibly difficult challenges from this virus.
“The challenge in care homes – and, honestly, my heart goes out to people in this situation and I totally understand where they are – but keeping people safe from coronavirus in care homes is so important.
“At the same time, making sure people in care homes can see people and have visitors.
Matt Hancock returned to GMB after a 201-day Government boycott of the show (Image: ITV)
“I want to make sure that as well and balancing the two is the challenge.”
Hancock said that, previously, scientific advice had been that the virus could only be passed on by people with symptoms, however we now know that is not the case.
He said: “We brought in the rules for care homes, the problem now for viewers watching this morning, the challenge is how do we keep people safe from coronavirus in care homes and let them see visitors? And the answer is increased testing.”
A trial is rolling out to just 20 care homes in the country which sees them bringing in rapid testing to allow people to visit their loved ones.
Susanna said it should be introduced to every care home, seeing as Hancock had clearly said that testing was the solution.
Hancock said: “We hope to have that done by Christmas, but the reason we’re doing it carefully is because we have to protect people in care homes too.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
