No lateral flow device (LFD) Covid tests are readily available to the public at this time, despite them being a stipulation of the Northern Irish government for travel into the country from the island.

Lateral flow tests have been used to routinely test students in island high schools since June, and are capable of producing a result within 10 to 30 minutes.

There is currently no requirement for Manx residents to provide proof of a negative Covid test or self-isolate when travelling outbound from the Isle of Man into England, Wales or Scotland.

For Northern Ireland however, the government there says people should take a lateral flow device (LFD) test before beginning their journey to the country, and should only travel if the test is negative.

It also says that people should take LFD tests on days two and eight of their stay.

However, this poses an issue for Manx residents as no pharmacies in the island currently stock lateral flow tests.

One member of staff told us this is because the government had not begun distributing the tests to them yet.

The government says that there has been discussion on their wider use, and that this is still in progress.

It also noted that they are widely available to order online, and so this could be a practical option for Manx residents who need them for travel.

In the UK, LFDs are readily available to order for free from the government’s website.

For travel to the Republic of Ireland, passengers are required to take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test on arrival, and may be required to quarantine.

However, people are currently being advised not to travel to Ireland unless they have an essential reason.

Private PCR tests needed for travel are available privately from Manx Care at a cost of £50.

These are considered to be the ’gold standard’ for testing in terms of accuracy, and can produce results on the same day.