The island will not be changing its current border restrictions while the Covid-19 situation worsens in the UK.

’Given the resurgence of the virus and the potential for this to build into a fully-fledged second wave we have to be realistic about the threat to the island,’ said Chief Minister Howard Quayle.

Mr Quayle said the situation in the UK is ’not developing as any one of us would have hoped’.

He offered solidarity to the people of the north west of England which is one of the worst areas affected by the virus’s resurgence.

Mr Quayle said the time was therefore not right to move from level 4 to level 3 of our border restrictions - but nor was there any intention to move back up to the full border closure of level 5.

He said the two current active cases were both detected in individuals who were already in self-isolation.

’There are no signs whatsoever that the virus is circulating in our community and the Isle of Man therefore remains free of coronavirus,’ said Mr Quayle.

Health Minister David Ashford said the four new cases identified this month had all been asymptomatic but their positive diagnosis had been picked up through the seven-day testing regime.

Contact tracing had not identified high-risk contacts at all, he said, adding: ’None of the cases are cause for concern.’

The Council of Ministers had decided it was prudent to remain at level 4, a press briefing was told yesterday (Thursday).

Mr Quayle said level 4, which allows residents to move freely to the UK so long as they self-isolate on return, had been successful in keeping the virus out of the community.

He said the move from level 4 to level 3 ’feels more like that a leap then a step’ given situation in the UK is ’going in the wrong direction’.

And he ruled out moving back to the full border closure of level 5, saying we had to bear in mind the practical, emotional and mental health consequences such a move would entail.

He said the Council of Ministers has been exploring other avenues to allow residents to see close family and loved ones.

The plan is for level 3 to be introduced in two parts. Part 3a will see residents able to sponsor immediate family members to be able to come to the island, where they will be required to self-isolate in the normal way.

More general sponsorship under part 3b would allow friends and business contacts to come to the island, again so long as they comply with the quarantine requirements.

But Mr Quayle stressed the time to move to level 3 ’is not today’.

Education Minister Dr Alex Allinson said the government would do everything possible to guarantee the safety of students.

He reassured them that the government doesn’t intend to fully close the borders again as it did in March.

’If students have to return we will help them get home,’ he pledged.