Tynwald is sitting this afternoon from 2.30pm, the second emergency sitting this week.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan has gained the approval of members for the payment of the Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance and the Covid-19 Salary Support Scheme from the island’s National Insurance fund.

Mr Cannan said that that £100m plus he is asking for ’is a lot of money, but it is necessary’. He confirmed that the previously announced £40m is ’simply not enough’.

He gave members the stark warning that ’the domestic economy is in danger of collapsing’ and that despite his measures, ’not every job will be saved’ but that ’we will bounce back’.

The Treasury Minister said that islanders must remain at home as the government seek to supress the virus before ’getting the economy going again in a controller manner’.

He also denied that, despite his motion allowing unlimited spending, he is asking for a blank cheque.

Previously, Chief Minister Howard Quayle made a brief speech and has called Covid-19 a ’wicked virus’. He said ’the world is a different place even just since the start of the week’.

This morning 66 people came to the island on the Ben-my-Chree, the borders are now closed except for vital workers.

Mr Quayle said: ’The decision to close our borders was not an easy one, but it was the right thing to do.’ He added that the Council of Ministers had taken the decision following advice from the island’s health experts.

He said that anyone who failed to get back to the island will ’be supported’ by the government, but that the island cannot loosen the border closure.

The Chief Minister also thanked the public for applauding the island’s emergency services last night when residents joined in a British Isles wide minute’s applause. And he thanked the people working in the island’s food stores and pharmacies.

However, he warned the island ’needs to brace ourselves’ for deaths from Covid-19 while he called for people to stay home.

Mr Quayle warned that people have to be sensible with leaving their homes, particularly for daily exercise. He added: ’If people abuse this, we will stop it.’

Residents who have no symptoms, are allowed out for exercise, to shop, to travel to work and for medical reasons. However, people who have symptoms or have tested positive, must remain home.

We will update this page at the sitting continues.