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Coronavirus public information

Get all the latest information on Coronavirus here

A daily update on confirmed cases and the number of tests carried out on the Island & all Isle of Man Government COVID-19 information can be found by CLICKING HERE and following the links.

If you are a business or organisation and feel Manx Radio can help you during this difficult time. Contact us with details on the form at the bottom of the page.

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To view the Manx Radio videos of the latest Government Media Briefings regarding the Coronavirus click here.

To listen to, download and subscribe for free to the podcasts of the Government Coronavirus Media Briefings click here.

These Media Briefings usually take place weekdays at 4pm and weekends at midday. But are subject to last minute change.

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ISLE OF MAN STATUS UPDATE: 20th April 2020

There are currently 299 confirmed cases of coronavirus on the Isle of Man. One further case was announced on Monday (20 April). Six people have now died as a result of Covid-19, 4 in hospital and 2 in the community. 284 patients have been instructed to self isolate, 10 are being treated at the hospital. 193 people are now *presumed recovered.

*Presumed recovered: completion of the standard 14 day period following the onset of symptoms from cases that tested positive. These cases have either self-isolated at home or have returned home after discharge from hospital.

Island cases and deaths:

Island tests and cases:

The latest safety measures are as follows:

- No arrivals are now permitted to the Island. The only exceptions are for emergency medical treatment, and those 'critical to infrastructure'. Freight services continue as normal.

- An Island-wide speed limit of 40mph is in force.

- Non-essential shops are closed, apart from some key suppliers such supermarkets, pharmacies, pet shops, petrol stations and banks.

- Changes to GP services - first contact must now be via a phone or video consultation, and be triaged. 

- A helpline 686262 has been set up for people to call for general queries over Covid-19. This is to alleviate pressure on the 111 coronavirus helpline, dedicated to medical advice.

- All non-essential/emergency construction work has ceased.

- Additional measures have been brought forward to enforce social distancing rules. Shopping for essential items is permitted, along with a brief period of exercise each day (alone or with members of your household only), medical care, and travelling to and from work where absolutely necessary.

- On-the-spot fines are now taking place, which initially stand at £30, for people disobeying social distancing guidelines.

- All Island schools have closed to the majority of students. Door remain open for vulnerable children and children of key workers.

- Schools which have remained open for the children of key workers continue to open their doors during the Easter holidays.

- GCSEs and A Level exams are not taking place. 

- Pubs, clubs, bars, cafes and restaurants are closed - however collection and delivery services can continue.

- Those aged 70 and over or pregnant or have underlying health conditions are urged to self isolate. 

- All non-urgent dentistry services have been stopped; routine appointments have also been cancelled for the next three months.

- The Promenade Medical Centre has closed and re-purposed to help the support effort.

- Cancer surgery appointments are being brought forward where possible, and cancer screenings are being stopped as a result of actions in the UK.

- Patients with appointments in the UK are encouraged to contact the hospital directly - not Noble’s.

- All gyms and fitness centres closed.

- The Manx Youth Games and Isle of Man Sport Awards have been cancelled. The Villa Marina, Gaiety Theatre and NSC facilities are closed.

ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE SHOPPING HOURS:

A number of Island stores are operating dedicated hours for those over the age of 70, or are vulnerable in some way. These are as follows:

Shoprite and Robinson’s (stores in Little Switzerland, Douglas; Bridson Street, Port Erin; Bowring Road, Ramsey; Derby Road, Peel; The Village Walk, Onchan; Arbory Street, Castletown): 
8am - 9am Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Shoprite for NHS, emergency and care workers (all stores as above): 8am - 9am Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Tesco for elderly and vulnerable: 9am - 10am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday

all Residential Services directly provided by Adult Social Care will close to non-essential visitors, this will include:

  • Resource Centres for Older People – Southlands (Port St Mary), Reayrt Ny Baie (Douglas) and Cummal Mooar (Ramsey)
  • Dementia Care and Support Services – Thie Meanagh (including Sweetbriar) Douglas, Gansey Unit (Port St Mary), Langness Unit (Port St Mary) and Reayrt Skyal (Ramsey)
  • All Learning Disability Residential Community Homes
  • Day Services for Older People (Douglas, Onchan, Ramsey, Peel and Port St Mary)
  • Dementia Day Care Services (Douglas, Ramsey and Port St Mary)

-    The 2020 Isle of Man TT is cancelled to protect the Island’s critical care services
-    Testing for coronavirus in the community will be stepped up with immediate effect
-    Government will be taking necessary steps to postpone both the 2020 local authority general elections and the Douglas South by-election until         further notice
 

BUSINESS MEASURES

-    A package of measures has been introduced by the Treasury to support the Island’s workforce and protect the economy:

  • £100 million taken from government reserves to offer a package of support.
  • New welfare benefit (MERA) of £200 per week for those who’ve lost their job or are unable to work due to the virus - this to come into operation on 6 April.
  • Wage support package available to employers, offering £280 a week for 12 weeks to pay every full time equivalent member of staff. This will be backdated to cover March’s payroll.
  • Businesses will be given the option to defer VAT payments between now and June, interest free.
  • Case by case deferral of tax and national insurance payments will be available for ‘businesses in difficulty’.
  • A special fund will be introduced to help business retain critical assets.
  • Reduce to nil the rate of employer class 1 National Insurance contributions that are paid by certain sectors to alleviate staff costs. Sectors covered include tourist accommodation, catering, entertainment and leisure, travel and tour operators, and logistics to and from the Island.
  • £3,000 Coronavirus Business Support Scheme to give immediate assistance to businesses (with at least two permanent employees) in tourist accommodation, catering, entertainment and leisure, travel and tour operators, and logistics - click here for more information
  • Government will pay businesses that pay employees during self-isolation £20 a day for up to 14 working days in a consecutive period of up to two weeks, for each employee in self-isolation
  • Introduction of new minimum work requirements for employed person’s allowance which were due to have effect from 2 June this year are to be postponed until April next year
  • Lone parents claiming Income Support solely on account of being a lone parent will be able to continue to do so until their youngest child reaches age 12. Until recently, this was due to reduce to age 6 from 2 April 2020. This postponement will apply for 26 weeks
  • Department for Enterprise has created a team to manage communication regarding COVID-19 measures, including a dedicated phone line (+44 1624 686455/ enterprisesupport@gov.im) and new hub at Barclays Eagle Lab to enable local companies to discuss concerns and potential support options for their business
  • Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly says the department has been working with banks to introduce the Disruption Loan Guarantee Scheme. This enables £60 million of new lending, 80% of which will be underwritten by the government.
  • The Department for Enterprise has launched a Business Adaptation Grant for companies aiming to re-specialise.
  • Plus a Strategic Capacity Scheme, for the tourism accommodation sector to particularly benefit.

ADVICE FOR JOBSEEKERS

- Anyone claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance will not be required to attend in person at a Social Security office to claim their benefit. Instead, applications can be submitted by post. New claimants should contact the Jobseeker’s Allowance Team to ask for a claim form to be sent to them

- Anyone claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance will be temporarily excused from the requirements to sign-on in person at a social security office, usually once a fortnight. They will continue to be paid their Jobseeker’s Allowance, but they must contact the Jobseeker’s Allowance Team straightaway if their circumstances change, they do any work or they wish to end their claim

- Workers who are not incapacitated for work and are not self-isolating, but are prevented from attending work and unable to earn a wage, will be able to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance.

HOUSING MEASURES

- Department of Infrastructure tenants are asked to contact the Housing Office on +44 1624 685955 if they have an appointment booked with the DoI's housing team or repairs team

- Those unable to pay rent as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, are asked to notify the Housing Office as soon as possible, which says it will work with tenants to avoid formal action where Covid-19 is a factor.

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Everyone is being encouraged to wash your hands properly and regularly:

Public Health Isle of Man is taking its lead from Public Health England.

Public Health England is leading the new and emerging threats to health for all four nations of the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies, including the Isle of Man.

The Public Health Directorate is working closely with the Department of Health to ensure Public Health England guidance is implemented - this is updated daily and reflects the rapidly evolving situation.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

There is further information and updates available via the Public Health Isle of Man Facebook Page:

The Coronavirus pandemic is understandably causing a lot of stress and anxiety at the moment. If you're experiencing any difficulties, the following local and UK services are here to support you. 

For assistance in an emergency, call 999

Individuals suffering from suspected Coronavirus symptoms should call 111

For non-medical Cornovirus-related information, call 686262

Childline

www.childline.org.uk
0800 1111
A private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of 19.

Samaritans

www.samaritans.org
116 123
Whatever you're going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. We're here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

NHSN

www.nshn.co.uk
Supporting and providing information to individuals who self-harm, to reduce emotional distress and to improve their quality of life.

Self Harm UK

www.selfharm.co.uk
A project dedicated to supporting young people impacted by self-harm, providing a safe space to talk, ask any questions and be honest about what's going on in the your life.

Beat

www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
08088010677
Helpline and one-to-one web-chat service supporting people who have or are worried they have an eating disorder, as well as others affected, such as friends and family members.

Young Minds

www.youngminds.org.uk
Parents Helpline 08088025544
Crisis Messenger text YM to 85258
A UK charity which is committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.

Mind UK

www.mind.org.uk
0208 215 2243
Mind offers information and advice to people with mental health problems.

REACH IOM

www.facebook.com/reachiom
07624247681
Information and support charity for people dealing with mental health issues. Regular free podcast discussions at manxradio.com

Isle Listen

www.islelisten.im
Aims to equip children and young people with the self-management skills needed to navigate the psychological and emotional challenges of 21st century life.

Live at Home Befriending Scheme

08081624604
Guidance and support for anyone feeling isolated or anxious.

Crossroads Isle of Man

www.crossroadsiom.org
673103
Crossroads runs a range of services to meet the needs of all carers. We support all ages, disabilities, illnesses and care needs.

 

APPS

Calm Harm
Provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self harm

SAM
Self-help resource to help manage anxiety

Clear Fear

Assists in calming fear responses and managing anxious thoughts, emotions and behaviours

Smiling Mind

Mindfulness meditation app to help you deal with daily stresses and bring balance to your life

Combined Minds

Helps friends and families to support young people in managing mental health challenges using a 'strength based' approach

 

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