Covid Isle of Man: Under 12s arriving on island could get new exemptions

Travel restrictions to and from the Isle of Man are being reconsidered by Tynwald

Children under the age of 12 could travel to the Isle of Man without having to isolate or take a Covid test.

That is one of the proposed changes to coronavirus measures being put before Tynwald.

The Manx parliament will also be asked to approve plans to open up travel for arrivals from countries on England's green and amber Covid lists.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle said the changes reflected a "gradual easing of restrictions" on borders and travel.

He highlighted 31 August as a key date since, by then, "all eligible adults on the island will have been offered the second vaccination dose".

Children aged four and under are already exempt from any testing or isolation.

Raising the age to 11 and under is set to recognise "the lower risk young children face in developing serious illness from Covid-19", according to Mr Quayle.

Children over 12 would continue to be tested in the same way as adults are.

Travel changes

Movement on and off the island has so far been restricted to the Common Travel Area (CTA) of England, Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.

The proposed changes would allow anyone who is fully vaccinated travelling from a green list country the same freedom of movement as those within the CTA.

People coming from a green list country who are not fully vaccinated would be subject to "the shorter test to release pathway", Mr Quayle said.

Those arriving from amber countries would also be allowed to move freely without isolation or testing, as long as they are fully vaccinated.

However anyone not vaccinated from amber countries would face testing and a seven-day isolation.

The changes would also recognise more vaccines that have received regulatory approval elsewhere in the world.

If approved, the changes would come in on 24 July.