Covid: Isle of Man schools and nurseries closed in 'firebreak'

Most pupils will learn through online lessons during the circuit breaker lockdown

Schools, nurseries and childminders have closed on the Isle of Man to create a "firebreak", with all children being told to stay at home.

The Manx Government said there was a growing number of Covid-19 cases on the island, particularly amongst children.

Education Minister Alex Allinson said it was possible that schools were "fuelling" the outbreak.

The island began a 21-day circuit-breaker on Wednesday after a rise in positive tests.

Of the 106 known active cases on the Isle of Man, 40 are in people aged between five and 19.

Dr Allinson said the safety of pupils was "paramount" and the surge of positive tests among young people meant the government had to "take decisive action".

He also urged people to be "patient" and only contact or use essential services if it was necessary to "give these people a break".

The decision to close schools will be reviewed over the weekend, the government said.

There have been total of 546 Covid-19 cases on the Isle of Man

Prior to the decision, which was announced at 23:30 GMT on Thursday, 14 primary and secondary school hubs had been open to vulnerable children and those of key workers.

Under the new measures, family members can provide childcare for key workers and children of separated households are able to travel between parents' homes for the provision of childcare.

However, children from different households are not allowed to mix.

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Mother-of-two Monika Imbarek said she was "lucky" that she was already due to have the day off but she does not know what she will do if the closure continues.

She has no family on the island and is a residential support worker for adults with disabilities, as is her ex-husband, and can be required to work for 24 hours at a time.

She added: "I do not think we will be able get annual leave and I might not get any pay, so who is going to pay my bills?"

Amouré Ferreira works at a supermarket on the island and had previously been able to send her son, who has ADHD, to school.

She said this had given her son, who she is the sole carer for, a "rhythm and routine" and allowed him to "have the social connections that he needs to build on".

Being able to go to work has been "an escape" for her as she also has depression and this has now "been taken away completely", she said.

About 300 households and 1,500 people have been told to self-isolate

Healthcare worker Eve Skillicorn is a single parent and had to find childcare before she was due to start work at 07:00.

She said was able to send her children to their grandparents, but it was "not ideal as they have health concerns of their own".

"People working in healthcare at the moment are already scared going to work without the added pressure of having little to no childcare," she added.

Rob Kelsall, from the National Association of Head Teachers, said the situation was "concerning for everyone" and school leaders would "lend as much support to their communities as allowed".

Conor Keenan, from the National Education Union, said it was pleased the government was "acting assertively now to protect our children, staff and our island".

On Thursday, Dr Henrietta Ewart said the latest Covid outbreak that forced the island back into lockdown would be "more difficult" to eliminate.