The island’s vaccination programme could begin in weeks.

Details emerged at the government’s weekly Covid briefing.

Public health director Dr Henrietta Ewart said the plan was for the vaccination programme to begin in the island next month and would take four to six months to complete.

She said it will start with vulnerable residents and staff in care homes and then roll out by age groups with the oldest first.

’I understand that the plan is for it to start rolling out in December and it is estimated it would take between four and six months to actually roll out across the whole programme,’ she said.

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford added: ’We are hoping if we can get the initial stock of vaccines and everything runs to time then we can start doing that in December, it will probably be late December.

’Obviously we’ve got the Christmas period to contend with as well so the programme will be properly up and running in January.’

Asked which vaccine would be used, Mr Ashford told iomtoday: 'It won’t be one specific one, it will be a mix of those that receive regulatory approval.

'If certain vaccines show higher efficiency in certain groups then certain types maybe used in that way. But the supply agreement covers all vaccines that receive UK regulatory approval.'

Our Christmas will not be immune from the impact of coronavirus, said Chief Minister Howard Quayle.

He said it was ’almost certain’ that our border restrictions will remain at level four for the rest of the year - meaning relatives will not be able to travel here for the festive season.

Mr Quayle said this ’lay heavily on our shoulders’ and once infection rates had fallen in the UK, visiting family members would be ’welcomed with open arms’. ’We know the restrictions won’t last for ever,’ he added.

Dr Ewart said she has been asked whether large gatherings over the Christmas period were safe.

She said: ’The answer at the moment is "yes" as we don’t have Covid circulating in the community. So long as anyone instructed to self-isolate follows that guidance to the letter then the rest of us are safe.’

Dr Ewart stressed the important of personal hygiene and suggested that singing Jingle Bells would ensure that enough time was given to wash hands thoroughly.

Mr Quayle said discussions were under way to restore the Guernsey air bridge in the near future.

Private testing, fixed at a price of £50, for those require confirmation of being Covid-free for travel, is now available, he revealed.

Mr Ashford said a rise in a mix of acute care needs has led to daily admissions to Noble’s emergency department increasing to levels higher than the average last year.

As a result, non-urgent elective orthopaedic operations have been suspended to release more bed capacity.

The number of active Covid cases stands at six, four of these being part of the recent cluster.

Mr Quayle said it was encouraging that the number of active cases was tailing off.