Self-isolation

Effective 7 January, all returning residents isolate at their own cost in a separate household. You must not self-isolate with members of the same household unless they have travelled with you.

On the Isle of Man it is a legal requirement to complete a mandatory period of self-isolation for the following persons:

• Any Isle of Man Resident who has arrived on the Isle of Man and been given a Direction Notice self-isolation. 
• Any person (Isle of Man Resident or Visitor) who has received a positive COVID-19 test result and has received a Direction Notice to self-isolate
• Any contact (including household members) of a COVID-19 positive individual who has been identified as a close contact by the Cabinet Office Contact Tracing Team and received a Direction Notice to self-isolate
• Any person arriving on the Isle of Man who has received an Entry Certificate which specifies self-isolation or modified self-isolation for a period set out in the certificate. This includes Key Workers, Compassionate or persons returning from receiving essential medical treatment in the UK etc.

Failure to adhere to the conditions of your self-isolation is an offence under the Public Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.

We have published examples of self-isolation direction notices to ensure the manner in which you must self-isolate is fully understood which includes the penalty for non-compliance, which may include up to 3 months imprisonment and or a fine up to £10,000.

Guidance for you (in self-isolation)

Laundry

Wash items in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the warmest water setting and dry items completely. 

Do not shake dirty laundry, this minimises the possibility of dispersing the virus through the air.

Clean and disinfect anything used for transporting laundry with your usual products, in line with the cleaning guidance above.

See also:  Managing household waste

For those entering isolation before 7 January 2021 only

See: Household isolation and exercise page

If you wish to self-isolate away from your own home, please see the following page that details on how to book accommodation and financial assistance available to returning residents.

Although the whole household is required to isolate, it is still recommended that the traveller must avoid contact as far as possible. This means having your own room and remaining in it if this is available. Your room should be well-ventilated with a window to the outside that can be opened. Keep the door closed.

Use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household, if available. If you have to share a bathroom regular cleaning will be required. If a separate bathroom is not available, consider drawing up a bathroom rota for washing or bathing. You should use the facilities last, before thoroughly cleaning the bathroom. You should use separate towels from other household members, both for drying yourself after bathing or showering and for hand hygiene purposes.

You should avoid using shared spaces such as the kitchen whilst others are present. Take your meals back to your room to eat. Use a dishwasher (if available) to clean and dry your used crockery and cutlery. If this is not possible, wash them by hand using detergent and warm water and dry them thoroughly, using a separate tea towel.
Everyone in your household should:

• Wash their hands regularly
• Avoid touching their face
• Clean frequently touched surfaces regularly
• Exclude the person in self-isolation from the common areas of the home

If you have a clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable person living with you

Where possible you should not self-isolate with anyone who is considered clinically vulnerable, it is recommended you move out of your home, stay with friends or other family, or take advantage of the financial support offered to self-isolate in alternative accommodation, for the duration of your self-isolation period.

If this is not possible and you have to self-isolate in a household with a clinically vulnerable person you should stay away from them as much as possible – including ensuring that you do not spend time in the same room as them and that at all times a minimum of 2m distance between you and them is maintained.

The clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable person should be supported to take precautions to minimise their contact with others within the household, regardless of whether others have symptoms or not. They should minimise time spent in shared spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and sitting areas. Any shared spaces should be well ventilated.

If they can, clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable people should use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household. If this is not possible, consider drawing up a rota for bathing, with the clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable person using the facilities first. They should use separate towels from the rest of the household, both for drying themselves after bathing or showering and when washing their hands.

If they can, clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable members of the household should have their meals in their own rooms. If you have one, use a dishwasher to clean and dry the family’s used crockery and cutlery. If this is not possible, wash them using your usual washing up liquid and warm water and dry them thoroughly. If the clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable person is using their own utensils, remember to use a separate tea towel for drying these.

These precautions should be in place in any household that has a clinically vulnerable person in it. If someone who is self-isolating has to be part of the household it is particularly important to ensure that the precautions are followed.

When to self-isolate

You must self-isolate if you or anyone else in your household have coronavirus symptoms:

• a temperature of more than 37.8C (100F) 

• OR, a new and persistent cough - this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

• OR, anosmia – this is the loss of or a change in your normal sense of smell. It can also affect your sense of taste as the two are closely linked
  
  
• OR, a new shortness of breath

You must then seek clinical advice using the online self-assessment to determine whether you need to call the COVID 111 helpline.

Anyone with symptoms should then self-isolate until they have received a negative test result and received instruction from a clinician to cease isolation when symptoms have resolved.

For further advice see: testing and results.

When self-isolating you:

    Must not leave your home for any reason

    Must not go out to buy food or collect medicine – order them by phone or online, or ask someone else to drop them off at your home

    YOU CAN  continue to use your garden, if you have one but you should only use it if you feel well enough 

If your symptoms worsen during self-isolation or are no better after 14 days, contact your GP/MEDS. For a medical emergency dial 999. 

If you live with someone with symptoms of COVID-19, you and everyone else in your household must self-isolate for the required period of 14 days

If you develop symptoms you must also then seek clinical advice using the online assessment to determine whether you need to call the COVID 111 helpline. At this point, you must not leave your home for any reason and follow the guidance above.

If you test negative for COVID-19, you will be advised by the COVID 111 helpline.

If you are still required to complete a mandatory self-isolation by law under another specific direction notice, even if you have tested negative, you MUST remain in self-isolation. Otherwise you will be advised to end your self-isolation by the COVID 111 helpline.

If the test result is positive, you will be issued with a self-isolation direction notice which requires you to undertake mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from the on-set of your symptoms.

Your contact details will be passed onto the Cabinet Office Contact Tracing Service so any contacts can be followed up and also issued with a mandatory direction notice to self-isolate for a period of 14 days from the date of their last close contact with you. 

Do not leave your place of residence; stay at home.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms:

Stay at home, complete the online assessment and contact COVID 111 as required, follow their advice.

If you have tested positive you will need to self-isolate for 14 days as advised by the Contact Tracing Team and a mandatory direction notice will be issued.

Your household will need to self-isolate too, other close contact will be identified and advised by Contact Tracing Team and a mandatory direction notice will be issued.

If your symptoms worsen during self-isolation or are no better after 14 days, contact your GP/MEDS. For a medical emergency dial 999. 

If anyone else in the household starts displaying symptoms, they must contact COVID 111 to arrange testing. If positive, they will be advised to self-isolate for 14 days from onset of symptoms and will receive a mandatory direction notice to self-isolate as outlined above from the Cabinet Office 111/Contact Tracing Service, (issued on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care). (This may be a longer period of self-isolation if the second positive COVID-19 case in the household has already commenced a mandatory self-isolation under an earlier issued direction notice as a close contact of the first COVID-19 positive case in the household).

If they test negative, but remain within a household with a positive COVID-19 they must continue to self-isolate until completion of the original 14 day period as a close contact of a COVID-19 person in the household. If applicable, they must continue to self-isolate until completion of the 14 day period of the last confirmed case in the household.

Household members who remain well stay in self-isolation for 14 days due to maximum incubation period, calculated from day 1 of the first symptomatic person in that household.

Whilst you are ill or self-isolating, arrange for all food, medical and other supplies to be delivered to your home and ensure that the delivery person /driver/friend does not enter your home.

You can still continue to spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.

Exiting isolation

When you have completed 14 days’ mandatory self-isolation and received a negative test result, you can return to normal activities permitted under current restrictions. You may return to shared accommodation once your isolation period is complete. Please ensure you continue proper handwashing and hygiene practices.

Some people recovering from COVID-19 will still have a dry cough at that time but so long as you feel well and your temperature is back to normal, you are fine to end isolation. If you still have a temperature, you should remain at home and it should go down over a couple of days.