Over the weekend border restrictions eased to allow immediate family members and partners of island residents to visit. We asked how people felt about the policy change.

When we asked Max Ingrassia, 20, Baldrine, about opening up the borders, he said: ’As soon as possible, we need to get them open. We’ve got to live with the virus - I think all these people are basically just scared of it now.

’We’ve got the vaccine, vulnerable people are vaccinated.

’People have got to understand that it’s just another disease that we’re going to have to get over.

’And we’re lucky to have the vaccine so quickly now, which they didn’t think was going to happen. So I think people are looking a bit too negatively at it. I think it’s a massively positive thing that we’re coming out of this quickly.’

’Now that the risk is mitigated you’ve just got to move on, and people are going to be able to see their families again - that’s a very good thing.’

He added that he was waiting for the restrictions to ease completely so he could go and visit friends that had gone to university in the UK, without having to isolate on his return.

Doug Clark, 78, Douglas, said though he did not have any family to bring over, with a son in the island, that: ’I’d be happy as long as they quarantine when they come over, because it’s time close relations and loved ones were allowed over I think.’

Brenda Clark, 73, added: ’And the vaccine programme is going so spectacularly well that I think people here should feel quite safe.’

’The Manx government’s done tremendously well for us’, said Doug.

He added that they were in no hurry to travel off island either, because ’we’ve got so much on the island haven’t we? So no problem there.’

Karann Davies, 59, from Douglas, said: ’I think it’s great that they’re opening the borders, but I think maybe a little bit soon.

’My family would love to come over but they can’t afford to isolate [and then] come and see me.

’They want to come and see me and not isolate, so they’re going to wait until July.

’I just can’t believe how fast it’s all happened [The policy change to mitigation].

’I was very surprised how [government’s] attitude completely changed as well - it’s almost like "No, we’re not worried about how many people are going to get it now. We just want to get the economy up and going".’

Veronica Morrison, 75, from Douglas, said she was looking forward to her son, who had been working in Germany, coming to visit.

’I don’t think coronavirus will go away, not any time soon.’

Helen Renard, 68, from Laxey, said she thought the opening of borders was ’brilliant’, adding ’I have family in both the UK and Ireland [including her daughter who she has not seen for 18 months], so the sooner we can see them the better.’

She did say that she would be waiting to bring them over, however, because the isolation period would be problematic at the moment.

Helen continued: ’But it’s not going to be there forever is it?

’There’s light at the end of the tunnel.’

’I just don’t want to think too far ahead because all the plans keep getting scuppered.’