Covid: Testing rule change for fully jabbed arrivals to island

Fully vaccinated people will be able to enter the island without PCR testing in future

Fully vaccinated people arriving on the Isle of Man from an international destination will no longer be required to take a Covid-19 PCR test.

Those arriving from outside the Common Travel Area from 00:01 GMT on Tuesday will instead need to take a lateral flow test within 12 hours of arrival.

A government spokesman said the changes brought the island into line with the latest rules in England.

Unvaccinated people must still isolate for seven days and take a PCR test.

Under the new system, international travellers who are fully jabbed and have permission to enter the island, must fill out a landing card and avoid public indoor spaces until a negative home test result is registered online.

International travel is classed as anywhere outside the Common Travel Area of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

Changes to the government's Covid-19 daily statistics dashboard are also due to come into force this week.

A simplified snapshot of the number of new positive cases, total active cases and hospital admissions will now be published.

A government spokesman said the changes were due to the majority of positive tests now being recorded using lateral flow devices rather than PCR testing.