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Government to lift lockdown restrictions

Thu, 15 Apr 2021

The Manx Government has confirmed it will lift current COVID restrictions from Monday.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle confirmed all children can return to school, pre-school, nursery or their childminder.

Businesses can reopen including the hospitality, indoor leisure and lifestyle sectors. All limits on gatherings will be lifted. People can return to their place of work. Sport can fully resume.

The legal restrictions currently in place will be lifted at one minute past midnight on Sunday night into Monday morning.

Howard Quayle said: "For now, our borders will remain at level 4 with the existing testing and isolation arrangements. I know for many of us, this lockdown has felt different. It has been tough. And a year into this pandemic, the restrictions have become more challenging to live with.

"The Council of Ministers recognises this. It is one of the reasons we brought in bubbles and ‘deck chairing’.

"We understand the strain lockdown has had on our community. I do therefore have another announcement to make."

"The Council of Ministers today decided that given the current level of risk, ahead of the wider opening on Monday, we are ready for peoplefrom different households to be able to gather together inside this weekend." 

"For Saturday and Sunday, we are asking you to limit this – like outdoor gatherings – to groups of no more than ten people. This is not a free for 3 all. Please continue to act responsibly. If you can maintain social distancing please do. And we still recommend face coverings."

"Increasingly these will be personal choices however and we recognise that once people are in their homes, Government has very limited powers or rationale for saying what can and cannot be done."

"I hope this will give everyone the chance to spend time with family and friends indoors before the return to a more normal routine on Monday."

The change around indoor gatherings will come into effect at one minute past midnight on Friday night into Saturday morning.

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