Isle of Man needs to beware of neighbour England's continued shambolic responses to coronavirus

The last positive case of coronavirus on the Isle of Man (Manx: Mannin) was recorded on 20 May, 2020, making it 93 days as of the 21st August. The island's border was closed to almost everyone on 27 March in a bid to control the spread of the virus. At the time Manx Chief Minister, Howard Quayle said the border remained an "integral part of our defences" against the disease. This decision has been seen to be the right one and was a factor in the Isle of Man becoming the first place in the British and Irish Isles to live without lockdown and to end social distancing on Monday 15th June. 

There was some easing of border restrictions on 20th July 2020 when residents of the Island were able to travel and return for any reason without receiving permission. Albeit a log of all those returning to the Island is kept and those who return are legally required to self-isolate for 14 days. Checks can be made on those in self isolation. Certain non-residents can visit the Isle of Man if granted an exemption certificate, which requires them to follow strict rules. Some have fallen foul of these requirements including the woman from the north of Ireland who was given permission to visit the Isle of Man to take care of her late mother's estate, and failed to quarantine. She was jailed as a result as reported in the Belfast Telegraph.

The sharp rise in cases of coronavirus in parts of neighbouring Britain and Ireland is causing some concern in the Isle of Man. Particularly given England's shambolic approach in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Not least in the British government in Westminster failing to control its own borders. A recent study by the Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium (Cog-UK), pointed to the virus having multiple origins in the UK. With at least 1,356 origins, the study shows that on each of those occasions somebody brought the infection into the UK from abroad and the virus began to spread as a result. This clearly indicates a major failure on the part of the UK government in regard to border controls.

To their credit the Devolved Administrations of Scotland and Wales have tried to use the powers available to them to protect themselves from the UK governments shambolic approach. The question now for the Isle of Man is how it now once again seeks to protect itself from the rise in cases taking place in various areas of England. The Isle of Man is very fortunate to have that important stretch of water that separates it from England to the east. It has at least historically offered some protection from foreign cultural influences that would have undermined its separate identity. It now also once again offers the possibility of protecting itself from the resurgence of Covid-19 cases that is taking place in England.

Image above: Satellite image of Isle of Man.

Image below: Isle of Man location within the British and Irish archipelago.