When the island’s borders slammed shut just under a month ago, it left some residents stuck in the UK and around the world.

Then on April 6, the government announced that it will allow people to return, in batches of 30, on the condition they are quarantined at the Comis Hotel for 14 days at a cost of up to £1,000.

The decision to charge people, ’for their own incarceration’ as Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper put it, has been met with a mixed response by Manx residents.

But some of those who remain stuck outside the border have been surprised at the criticism levelled at them on social media and radio phone-in shows.

Those we have spoken to since the borders closed have asked to remain anonymous either due to their jobs or through a fear they and their families would be targeted online.

Funeral

One resident told us how after travelling to attend the funeral of her father and comfort her grieving mother, her partner was left stuck off-island.

She said: ’There is a perception that returnees are all people with second homes or on their jollies and decided not to try and get home even though there was plenty of notice - this is completely unfair and untrue.

’And the idea that those returning are all disease-ridden and carry a greater infection risk is also an untrue and unfair assumption. Most of these people will have also been subject to "lockdown" where they are - many with greater restrictions than on the island.

’There are also claims that returnees want to be repatriated for free. This is also unfair and untrue. There may be some who need financial assistance due to the unexpected and onerous costs they needed to pay to cover cancelled flights etc.’

She said no one was objecting to paying the return travel costs, but they were angry at being expected to pay to be quarantined at the Comis Hotel, where they are being billed £2.50 per soft drink.

Having arrived back in the island on the first repatriation sailing, her partner described being unloaded off the ferry in a coach and driving under police escort to the Comis Hotel as being treated ’like dangerous criminals’.

Another resident, who is stuck on the other side of the world, was told he cannot apply for permission to return to the island until they are in the UK. Until this point, Manx residents are the responsibility of the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

When he contacted his travel insurer, he was told to stay where he was as travel back to the island could not be guaranteed and he would be effectively made homeless at Heathrow Airport.

Let down

He told the Manx Independent he felt ’truly let down’ by the Manx government.

He added: ’I pay my income tax, my rates etc but I am expected to pay £1,000 to be incarcerated in a small room for 23 hours a day patrolled by security guards, CCTV and alarmed doors, only if I show no symptoms.

’But residents currently on the island that test positive can self-isolate at home with their own families.’

Other residents have questioned why they should travel across most of England to be able to travel, thereby further risking catching the virus when there is a flight to the island from London.

The government has defended its position on the returning residents throughout the border closure, saying they pose ’the greatest risk’ to the island.