Prisoners allowed visits for just 100 days in 2020 PRISONERS at Chelmsford Prison – a Category B prison – were only allowed visits from loved ones for 100 days last year. Public Health England (PHE) decided to stop in-person visits in England and Wales on March 24 based on an assessment which suggested between 2,500 and 3,500 prisoners were at risk of dying as a result of Covid-19. Prisons suspended visits in Scotland and Northern Ireland on March 23. Facilities in England and Wales were not given the all-clear to reopen visiting halls again until July 6 – providing that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) approved the safety measures in place at individual sites.