Isle of Man removes all on-Island COVID restrictions including social distancing
The Isle of Man has come out of its circuit-breaker lockdown.
Restrictions were lifted at one minute past midnight, 19 days after the last new Covid-19 case was detected on the island.Schools and businesses are expected to reopen with residents no longer asked to stay at home and precautions such as social distancing and face coverings will be a matter of personal choice.
In a public briefing, Mr Quayle said: "I must thank the great Manx public for making the right decisions even though at times I know it was tough."
Across the island, health and care services will return to their pre-lockdown ways of operating.
Services in hospitals and the community had been suspended or reduced to protect patients, service users, staff and the public and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford said: "I’m delighted we are able to turn suspended and reduced services back on without delay. The restrictions were necessary for everyone’s safety and I thank patients, staff, service users, their families and carers for their patience and understanding over recent weeks."
The Isle of Man entered its second lockdown on January 7 after a rise in Covid-19 cases. The current number of active cases of COVID-19 on the Island is 15.
Border controls restricting travel to the island remain in place.