Island's long-term Covid-19 exit strategy unveiled

Government has unveiled it's long-term Covid-19 exit strategy.

It'll be carried out in three key stages - Preparation, Transition and Release - and will also see the Island eventually move from an 'elimination' strategy to a 'mitigation' approach.

The Council of Ministers is expecting to move through the plan as the Manx vaccination programme continues and the UK's Coronavirus threat keeps decreasing.

For borders, there are currently no plans to majorly change the restrictions until at least the end of April, but following the end of the 'preparation' phase it's hoped the borders can move to Level 3 to allow friends and family to visit the Island, subject to self-isolation and testing rules.

Meanwhile, among the Covid-19 vaccine programme objectives, officials are aiming for all adults to be completely vaccinated by the end of July and the entire population fully inoculated by the end of September.

Elsewhere, government is hoping to be in a position to lift all residual restrictions from the end of August once the entire adult population is vaccinated and the virus threat from Britain is much lower.

Officials say regular reviews of the situation will be carried out and updates will be given regularly.

Chief Minister, Howard Quayle MHK, says: "‘All of our current focus is quite rightly on the immediate situation and the elimination of the virus in our community so that we can once again enjoy Island life free of restrictions.

"We cannot however ignore the longer term and if anything, the current pressures are a reminder that we cannot sustain this strategy for the long term.

"‘This is in no way a ‘plan’ and even with the best will in the world at this point it is impossible to set a framework in stone - the approach may change, and the dates almost certainly will.

The exit framework can be viewed online at www.gov.im/coronavirus.