The vaccination programme will be stepped up next month as more becomes available, a media briefing heard this afternoon.

Health Minister David Ashford said that it could mean jabs being delivered seven days a week and all over 50s being vaccinated by April 19.

The government says 84% of people in the first two priority groups have now had at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The news came during a media briefing following the announcement that ministers had decided not to impose restrictions after two unconnected people were infected with the virus in the community.

How they were infected is unexplained, which rang alarm bells for health chiefs and resulted in yesterday’s advice from the government to stay at home.

However, the contacts of those people have now been tested and no further infections have been discovered, giving ministers confidence that the virus is not spreading further into the community.

Director of public health Dr Henrietta Ewart could not say exactly how many people were contacted and tested but she said it was not a big operation.

The message from the conference was ’go back to normal’.

Schools will open as usual tomorrow, while there is no instruction to stay out of workplaces, shops, pubs, gyms or theatres.

The wearing of masks remains voluntary, although PPE will be used at the hospital.

Yesterday, as news of the new infections emerged, the government advised people not to mingle or go out. The government only advised. It did not instruct.

Some pubs, for example, did open, leading to some social interaction.

Asked whether the fact that so many people from vulnerable groups had been vaccinated since the start of the circuit breaker lockdown last month meant the Council of Ministers’ decision was different now from then, the Chief Minister said it wasn’t.

He said the policy remained elimination.

After some pubs and restaurants heeded the advice to shut last night, there has been some concern about loss of income. Mr Quayle said that they could still apply for help from the Treasury.

There are currently 48 active cases in the Isle of Man.

One of the people in the 'Steam Packet cluster' is now being treated in hospital where he or she is said to be stable.