IoM enters three-week circuit-breaker lockdown

It follows seven positive Covid-19 test results in quick succession, taking the total to 12, with fears about community seeding and the deteriorating situation across the UK.

Guernsey shared a successful air bridge with the island in the summer and there were hopes this could be re-established as the two followed similar strict border control approaches to controlling the spread.

IoM Chief Minister Howard Quayle said the situation was evolving quickly and there was a ‘significant risk’ of ‘reseeding widespread community transmission’.

This resulted from the spread of infection beyond the household of an index case – someone who had travelled to the Isle of Man – to a number of different locations and involving potential contact with a large number of people.

The authorities have released detailed information about locations where people might have been at risk of contracting Covid.

‘We have had to be bold in our actions,’ he said.

‘We have to go in hard and fast.’

Schools will be shut and people will work from home if they can.

Social distancing will be reintroduced and non-essential retail closed.

Only food shops and pharmacies are considered essential.

All hospitality venues with the exception of takeaways will have to shut.

Wearing of face masks in public will be strongly advised, and will be compulsory on public transport.

The border restrictions have been tightened with all travel off the island strongly advised against.

Mr Quayle said the government could not guarantee anyone leaving after the restrictions came into force would be allowed to return.

Residents cannot gather with anyone outside their own household and are only allowed to exercise once a day.

The island had been free from internal restrictions since social distancing was lifted on 15 June.

Its vaccination programme began on Monday using Pfizer/BioNTech.

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