Restrictions on social distancing, face masks, socialising indoors and outdoors, working from home and attending life events have all been removed today (Monday), just days before the Isle of Wight expects an influx of cash-ready tourists for the summer holidays.
Isle of Wight businesses can finally return to full capacity and recoup some of their losses from the past 16 months, with Islanders and visitors alike now able to enjoy life once again and make the most of what the Island has to offer.
The lifting of COVID restrictions across England comes just days before the start of the summer holidays, which will hopefully bring tourists from far and wide to the Island to inject much-needed cash into the shattered economy.
Despite two-thirds of the country now being double jabbed and transmission of the virus extremely low on the Isle of Wight, alongside news that ventilation beds at St Mary’s haven’t been used in 10 weeks, the Council is still pushing a message of caution.
With no legal restrictions in place, Islanders are now free to do as they please when it comes to normal behaviour. However, the Council is still advising people don’t meet indoors, don’t meet up with lots of people and suggests continuing to wear a face mask.
The Isle of Wight Council says that ‘COVID-19 is still a very risky disease for all of us’ and encourages cautious behaviour.
Simon Bryant, director of public health on the Island, has said:
“The pandemic is not over and the disease carries risks for all of us, but particularly the most vulnerable members of our Island community.
Article continues below this advertisement “We know getting vaccinated helps protect ourselves and others. Reduced transmission of the virus minimises the development of new variants.
“My two key messages are please take a cautious approach and get vaccinated. Doing both of these will really help stop the spread and protect the NHS as cases rise and hospitalisations increase.”
Councillor Karl Love, Cabinet lead for public health, urges Islanders to get vaccinated to help protect the community:
“It’s especially important that all our young people are now vaccinated to complete the loop and prevent further spread of the virus.
“As lockdown restrictions are lifted, it’s still wise to continue wearing your face covering. I also encourage those who travel backwards and forwards across the Solent to keep testing using the free lateral flow kits obtained at local pharmacies.”
For more local information on COVID-19, visit www.keeptheislandsafe.org.
Just because the Govt says “be stupid” doesn’t mean we have to be stupid.
Guess what the outcome on IOW will be with steeply rising infections, relaxing of Covid restrictions and summer influx of tourists from (typically) high-infection areas such as the North/North East ?
Wear a mask and keep your distance still applies, personal choice remember. So if your asked to keep your distance from anyone don’t get on your high horses and kick off please.
Freedom Day, who coined that statement? I shall carry on as I have been, we all welcome less restrictions but it’s about respecting other people.
I give it 3 months before we are back in lock down.
3 months? It will be the end of August.
Already been out into town and most are still wearing masks round the shops and the on the bus.
Most likely these idiots wear masks in their own home as well.
Only if you are in the house visiting.
Pandemics usually last between 3 to 5 years, so we are just beginning with this one. The Government is experimenting with herd immunity for school children, but they will infect a lot of their older contacts. The vaccinees do not guarantee immunity from the disease. In 90% of cases who become infected after immunisation they will suffer mild symptoms, but for ten out of a hundred their symptoms may well be severe, requiring hospitalisation and we may yet see an E (epsilon) variant yet, that is unaffected by the vaccine, probably brought in by some holiday maker returning home.
Quite likely that a vaccine-evading variant could arise here. The combination of only 50% of the population fully vaccinated and increased social interaction is the perfect mix.
When the madness of the summer season ends there are a lot of coffee shops and pubs that need the trade of the locals to see them through the winter.
These are the same establishments that have shown disdain for residents with pack ’em in policy now things have (temporarily) lifted.
I will be very choosy who gets my hard earned in the winter…. although I expect the island to be in total lock down again by September.
Well here we go….madness as soon as the children break up from school …God help us all
I can”t wait love you all loads
Hope you are double jabbed as Boris says you ain’t going nowhere without the proof…..
You need to watch the news and learn about all the poor people who cannot have the jab for medical reasons. Organ Transplant patients, patient with cancer who are currently having chemo or radiotherapy, these poor people now feel very vulnerable going out because many, not all have ditched their masks. With numbers of COVID infections spiralling out of control, I will, as many still are, still wearing a mask. Personal choice and everyone needs to respect each others decision but distance must be maintained for those who don’t want people too close.
The fact people like you are buying into this ‘covid’ nonsense baffles the mind. Our ancestors must be rolling in their graves.
Utter fools aren’t they. Government and media literally telling them lie after lie and they’re swallowing it all. It’s hilarious to me.