New arrangements were due to come into force in the Isle of Man from 6am, while Guernsey has outlined changes that will come into effect from midnight tonight.
Jersey’s lockdown arrangements, which have been in place since 30 March, have been discussed by the Council of Ministers this week and it is expected that Chief Minister John Le Fondré will provide an update in his latest press conference this afternoon.
Several types of businesses have been permitted to reopen in the Isle of Man, including construction, window cleaning and gardening.
Hardware stores and builders’ merchants, as well as waste and recycling points, have also been cleared to operate.
Manx residents will no longer have limits on the amount of time they can spend outside their homes, although restrictions on gatherings with anyone from a different household will remain in force. Isle of Man Chief Minister Howard Quayle, who has recently recovered from Covid-19, said he had taken part in a three-way conversation with his Guernsey and Jersey counterparts.
‘The changes on the same day as Guernsey weren’t something we’d planned together, but we are all small islands and we’ve been able to share concerns and strategies,’ he said.
In Guernsey, building wholesalers, small builders, vehicle and boat repairers, gardening and window-cleaning businesses will be able to get back to work this weekend.
Sarnian Health Minister Heidi Soulsby said she hoped the changes would be the start of a gradual easing of restrictions.
‘Saturday isn’t about a big-bang change,’ she said. ‘The core message is still stay at home. We’ve been very successful in flattening the curve by reducing contact between members of different households.’
