Yesterday, Tynwald approved a number of changes to the Isle of Man’s COVID-19 regulations, representing another step forward in the Island’s journey to gradually remove travel restrictions. Changes were also made to some of the rules around testing and isolation.
The changes came into effect at 01:00 this morning, Saturday 24 July.
Testing and isolation for children arriving on Island
Children aged 5 to 11 are now exempt from testing and isolation when travelling, so long as they have no COVID-19 symptoms. The change reflects the evidence that young children are, generally, at a much lower risk of getting COVID-19, and where they do catch the virus they are less likely to become ill or transmit the virus to others. Children aged 4 and under are already exempt from testing and isolation when travelling.
The parents of any children aged 5 to 11 who have travelled to the Isle of Man and are currently in isolation will receive an email from the Travel Notification Service today. This will confirm that their child can leave isolation so long as they have no symptoms.
Children aged 12 – 17 will continue to undergo isolation and testing, with tests for this age group free of charge.
Travel from green and amber list countries
Countries on England’s green list will now be treated the same as England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and Guernsey (the Common Travel Area) meaning that those who are fully vaccinated are able to travel directly to the Isle of Man without having to isolate or have a test on arrival.
Travellers coming from a green list country who aren’t fully vaccinated are now eligible for the shorter test to release pathway, rather than the 7 day pathway.
Anyone who is fully vaccinated and travelling from a county on England’s amber list is now able to travel directly to the Isle of Man without having to isolate or have a test on arrival.
The only exception is France, where the Isle of Man is aligned with England in not accepting a vaccine exemption at this time.
Those traveling from an amber list country who aren’t fully vaccinated must still follow the 7 day pathway.
Anyone not fully vaccinated and in isolation because they travelled from a green list country should email the Travel Notification Service at tns@gov.im with details of their travel. They will then be issued with an email if they are free to leave isolation.
Travel rules for those who have visited countries on England’s red list remain unchanged.
Vaccine recognition
Anyone who has had the Johnson and Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccine or who has taken part in clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines Valneva, Novovax, Com-COV, or Com-COV 2 which were administered in the Common Travel Area, or a country on the green or amber lists, is now able to apply for an exemption to travel to the Island using the no testing or isolation pathway so long as two weeks has passed since they had their jab.
Anyone who has been fully vaccinated with the Oxford/Astra Zeneca, Moderna, or Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines in a green or amber list country is now able to apply for an exemption to travel to the Island using the no testing or isolation pathway so long as two weeks has passed since they had their jab.
Changes to exit testing
Anyone currently in isolation because they tested positive for the virus will no longer be required to take an exit PCR test on day 9. Instead, they will be free to leave isolation after their tenth day is complete (12 midnight), as confirmed in their direction notice, so long as they are no longer symptomatic. This reflects the Island’s ongoing transition from an elimination strategy to one of mitigation and is in line with the UK, where isolation ends after 10 days with no PCR test.
