Financial services firm Fedelta has reopened its offices after deep-cleaning them as a precaution in response to a possible Covid threat.

It has confirmed an employee had been in close contact with a family member who had tested positive for coronavirus.

And Fedelta director Nigel Callin has raised concern at the availability of testing - and about the advice given to the member of staff by the 111 hotline.

The offices were closed and deep cleaned on Wednesday (November 11) while the staff member was awaiting the results of their own test.

Fortunately, they tested negative but Fedelta said the office closure and deep clean were necessary to comply with Covid-19 guidelines and minimise the risk to staff and their families.

The office on Athol Street, Douglas, is now back open.

Fedelta Pensions Limited director Mr Callin said: ‘We are thankful that this turned out to be just a precautionary measure but we have a responsibility to take every threat seriously and respond accordingly. ’Our staff are set up for remote working following the last lockdown so clients will not have noticed any disruption to services and the office is open as normal again from today (12 November)’.

Mr Callin added: ‘The experience has highlighted some issues and frustrations that we will be raising with government.

’In particular we were extremely keen to have our staff member tested alongside their other family members as soon as we became aware of the problem and we were very willing to cover the cost of this.

’We were told that there was no pathway for a paid test under current legislation and because our employee had not been in direct contact with the person their family members had been in contact with there was no possibility of a test at that time.

’A private test was not appropriate due to timescales and concerns over the accuracy of such tests.

’Had we been able to arrange a test at that time, we could have avoided considerable disruption, upset to staff and the inevitable Facebook speculation and panic.

’We are a small island nation and we should be nimble and flexible enough to move outside rigid guidelines when there are strong commercial or other reasons for doing so.

’Our employee took the sensible precaution of isolating from the moment they became aware of the issue but, bearing in mind they were living in close contact with identified high risk individuals.

’It seems questionable that the advice from 111 to the individual concerned was to go about their normal business (including going to work in an office with 30 colleagues) and await further contact if necessary.’