Covid: Lockdown lifted for third time on Isle of Man

Shops, pubs and cafes have reopened without the need for social distancing and face masks

The Isle of Man has begun returning to normality once again after the island's latest Covid-19 lockdown ended.

Shops, pubs and cafes have reopened and the mandatory requirement to work from home has been lifted.

Education Minister Alex Allinson said school attendance would not be compulsory for the "next week or two" while people adjust to the new regime.

A third lockdown began on 3 March after a rise in cases. Latest figures show the island now has seven active cases.

The government said three of those cases were travel-related and about 700 people were self-isolating.

Bill Wright and Tony Smith said it felt "pretty good" to be out of lockdown

Bill Wright, who had spent the last six weeks having food delivered rather than venturing out, said it felt "pretty good" to be out of lockdown again.

Urging people to be "sensible", he said he was "just hoping for the best, that's all we can do".

Annabelle James said she and her colleagues Kenneth Susaya and Katrina Wagner were "so excited" about going back to work at Claire Christian Couture, and seeing "people's faces and smiles" had been the "best thing we noticed".

The island's third lockdown had "felt extra hard this time round", she added.

Annabella James (centre) said the trio were excited about going back to work

Mr Susaya said although it had been "quite sad" to have to close the shop in early March, the trio were "quite happy to be back again".

Ms Wagner, who is from Germany, said although she has not been able to see her friends and family in that country for several months, it was "really nice to have a normal life again without Covid and without the masks and restrictions".

Owner of Lexicon Bookshop David Ashworth said it was "great to have a bit of life back in the shop" after spending many "long days in a dark, cold, empty shop".

"It's really nice to have even the lights on in here," he added.

While he himself had remained busy with online orders, others had been "a little more edgy " and "not quite as happy this time" with the restrictions.

David Ashworth said people had been "a little more edgy" during the island's third lockdown

Michelle Borg, manager of the Tea Junction, said it felt "great" to be able to welcome back customers and the lockdown had "felt like it was going forever".

She said she was "hopeful" it would be the last lockdown as the island would now "need to start learning to live with the virus".

"I've got 100% faith in the Manx community that they will all do the right thing for their family and for everybody in the community, so hopefully it'll be the last," she added.

Michelle Borg said she hoped it would be the last lockdown on the island

Dr Allison told the House of Keys his department would not be "pursuing anyone who doesn't send their children into school" for the time being, as "some parents, who... feel themselves vulnerable, may be apprehensive about sending their children back".

"We're actively offering to work with them to overcome that anxiety," he said, adding that children without a reasonable excuse for non-attendance would be recorded as absent.

Manx Care chief executive Teresa Cope said it had been "a difficult period" for the island's health and care sector, but services would "come back on stream... as soon as possible".

Doctors, dentists and opticians have resumed face-to-face appointments and services at Noble's Hospital, such as elective surgery and outpatient clinics, have restarted.

Visiting restrictions at Manx Care residential homes have been partially eased, but will not be fully lifted for another week.

The island's border remains closed to non-residents unless they are given special permission to visit.