Covid cases in UK rise sharply

But unless a change of policy is announced by the Civil Contingencies Authority on Friday, isolation-free arrival for fully vaccinated people from the Common Travel Area, which includes England, will be allowed from 1 July.

The CCA has rolled back plans for quarantine-free free travel for all from that date, instead planning to allow that for vaccinated people and under 18s.

But the number of cases in the UK has risen since that decision was announced.

North-west England, which includes Liverpool and Manchester, has seen case numbers nearly double in the last two weeks, with a 14-day total of more than 400 cases per 100,000 people.

Any country or region with more than 100 cases per 100,000 people within two weeks is put in Guernsey’s category four, which means all arrivals have to quarantine for two weeks.

London and Yorkshire are also category four.

East Midlands, west Midlands and south-west England are all now on the category three watchlist, after their numbers went over 100.

The south-west saw a particularly marked rise – from 53 cases per 100,000 over 14 days last week, to 117 this week.

While south-east and east England regions are still below that threshold, numbers have been rising there too, with the south-east going up from 74 per 100,000 to 96 in a week.

Scotland is also seeing its numbers get worse, with 244 cases per 100,000 being recorded over 14 days.

Figures are also rising in Wales and Northern Ireland, but these are much lower than other regions, with Wales reporting 50 cases per 100,000 people and Northern Ireland 81.

In Guernsey, 57% of the adult population has received two doses of vaccine, while 27% have received one.

In the UK, nearly 60% of adults have received two injections and 22% have received only one.

Guernsey has four active cases after another traveller tested positive on arrival and was placed in isolation.

. The next press conference is due to take place at 1pm on Friday.

The Manx position

THE Isle of Man is allowing people who are fully vaccinated to travel there with no isolation or testing requirements from Monday

It is applying the same rules as announced by the CCA that the second jab must have been at least two weeks before travel.

As with Guernsey, the relaxation applies only to people living in the Common Travel Area. The Manx government is still requiring a landing form to be completed and arrivals must not enter a health and social care setting for 10 days, unless seeking emergency treatment.