All remaining Covid restrictions to be lifted from 1 April

Travel measures to be dropped as Island moves to 'endemic'

All remaining Covid-19 restrictions on the Isle of Man, including border measures, are to be dropped from Friday, 1 April.

Government has announced the extra step a week before the Island moves to its 'endemic' approach.

As well as the legal requirement to isolate, if you test positive for the virus, all border restrictions will be lifted - including the need for isolation or testing for all travellers - and the requirement to complete a travel declaration or landing card will be scrapped.

Travel restrictions were due to be kept in place, once the legal requirement to isolate was removed, however the Council of Ministers says it's reviewed that decision following advice from Public Health.

The move, government says, is a step towards treating Coronavirus as an endemic disease similar to other illnesses such as flu and norovirus.

From next Friday daily dashboard figures will also stop but the weekly Public Health Surveillance Report will continue to be published.

In health and care settings patients and visitors will be asked to continue wearing face coverings and take an LFT at least 45 minutes before attending any appointments or visits.

"Clearly you've got to take into consideration what is happening around you and the value of filling in documentation and what it's trying to prevent."

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan explained why the Council of Ministers has made this move now:

The Island's Director of Public Health Dr Henrietta Ewart said: "I understand given the number of cases we have currently that people may be concerned about taking this next step.

"By moving to an endemic approach we need to acknowledge that there will be times when case levels are high but it is important to understand that, due to the successful vaccination programme, these numbers are not translating to people becoming seriously ill.

"As we move into this a more normal way of life without legal restrictions in place we need individuals, as well as employers, to support the message of staying at home when feeling unwell."

There are currently 1,981 active cases of Covid-19 recorded on the Isle of Man - the recent spike, or wave, has been attributed to the BA.2 Omicron variant which Dr Ewart described as being 80% more transmissible.