IoM residents to return home from 15 April

Designated sailings to carry stranded Manxies

Manx residents stranded overseas will be allowed home on designated sailings, from 15 April.

Health Minister David Ashford said the Isle of Man Government has been contacted by "190 people in the UK and further afield who have asked to come home."

He was careful to issue reassurances about the safety of the planned procedure:

Those residents will be subject to the mandatory 14 days in isolation at a re-purposed hotel quarantine facility, and will only be permitted if they show no symptoms, and health checks will take place.

During their isolation period, returning residents will be required to follow strict self-isolation procedures.

They will have access to a dedicated exercise area, with supervision, and will not be allowed to have visitors.

David Ashford urged anyone affected, who hasn’t already done so, to get in touch via email at returningresidents.co@gov.im as soon as they can, in order to provide detailed information regarding their circumstances. 

He made the announcement at the daily government media briefing, just after 4pm today.

The health minister added that at the sign of any risk being brought to the Island, the measures could cease.

When asked why there’s a nine-day delay before stranded residents are allowed to return, Mr Ashford said this is to enable it in a medically controlled way - and says there are a number of important measures in place on the ferry journey.

Minister Ashford also revealed the latest Covid-19 figures here:

• Total confirmed cases: 139
• Total tests taken: 1,638
• Total results back: 1,455
• Test results pending: 183
• Total recovered: 55, therefore there are 83 active current cases on the Island
• Six patients are receiving treatment in Nobles hospital, however Minister Ashford says 16 patients who are receiving treatment are still awaiting a firm diagnosis
• There has been one fatality on the Isle of Man

You can watch the press conference in full below: