Nursing home 'hugging booths' allows for residents to hug family during pandemic

YAZOO CITY, Miss. (WLS) -- A 17-year-old created something to allow some nursing home residents to safety hug their loved ones.

The teen created "hugging booths" as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Plastic protects family members from potentially spreading a virus, but still allows for touch.

RELATED: COVID-19 vaccine offers hope to nursing home residents that family may be back within reach

After months of video calls and visits through a pane of glass, nursing home residents hope the COVID-19 vaccine will let them be physically closer to family again.

One woman cried tears of joy at being able to give her youngest son a hug.

"I hadn't hugged him in six weeks... but he's my baby," she said.

The teen built each building in the Mississippi nursing home its own hugging booth.