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IRELAND’S 14-DAY INCIDENCE OF COVID-19 CASES PER 100,000 NOW HIGHER THAN THE U.K.- ECDC

Ireland’s incidence of Clovis-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past 14 days is now higher than in the U.K., according to figures released by the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC).

Ireland’s rate stands at 16.9 cases while the UK’s rate stands at 16.5. The increase reflects the spike in cases over the past week.

Face coverings are now mandatory in shops and indoor settings.

Ireland used the ECDC figures as a basis for it’s selection of which countries went on it’s travel Green list. At the time, Ireland’s cases per 100,000 people was around 5.

Germany also has a lower incidence of Covid-19 than Ireland according to the figures. It’s 14-day cumulative number is 12.9.

According to the HSE figures, Ireland has a positivity rate of 1.7% from tests completed over the last seven days, with an overall positivity rate of 4.5% since the outbreak here began.

The equivalent overall rate for the U.K. stands at 2.3%

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CORONAVIRUS: JUST EIGHT OUT OF 18,000 TRAVELLERS ARRIVING IN JERSEY TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. Recorded 5th August 2020

Test have been mandatory for all arrivals since 3 July.

As demands intensify for coronavirus testing to allow travel to resume at scale, the island of Jersey has reported a successful start to its holiday season.

Jersey was closed to holidaymakers until 3rd July-when the orders were opened, but with mandatory testing for coronavirus on arrival.

Since then, just eight out of 18,000 travellers arriving in the largest Channel Island have tested positive e for Covid-19 - representing 0.04%, or one case every four days.

Prospective visitors are told: “You will not be required to self-isolate if you have decided to undergo a PCR test on arrival, and have not recently visited any country risk assessed as ‘Amber’ or ‘red.”

These “high risk” countries include Belgium, Malta and mainland Spain.

All visitors are required to complete a pre-departure registration form and are tested on arrival for coronavirus.

They need not self-isolate while they wait for the result, which typically 24 hours-though they do get daily SMS messages reminding them to report any symptoms and self-isolate immediately.

Keith Beecham, chief executive of Visit Jersey, said “Protecting everyone on the island is the priority, which is why the ports of Jersey have worked hard alongside public health authorities to develop a visitor process that is both safe for everyone while also optimising the traveller experience”.

The eight individuals who tested positive for coronavirus were required to self-isolate from the time of th test result.

Travellers returning from Jersey and the other Channel Islands to the U.K. are not required to undergo quarantine.

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FLOOD AID FOR LAXEY RESIDENTS ‘CHICKEN FEED’, SAYS MHK. Isle of Man News. Recorded 10th August 2020

Government support for those affected by major flooding on The Isle of Man last year has been described by an MHK as ‘chicken feed’.

Water burst through a hole in the wall that was being used to access the river.

Several homes in LAXEY were left under 6 feet (1.8m) of water on October the 1st when the river burst its banks.

Hard MHK Martin Perkins stayed residents had revived “very little” aid other than a £500 grant and some were still unable to return to their homes.

The BBC has contacted the Manx government for a response.

Over 60 properties were damaged during the flooding after water spilled through a hole in the river wall which was being used for an access point for works.

A further section was later breached due to a build up of pressure caused by debris lodged in the river.

More than 60 properties were damaged.

Following the incident, the government offered grants of £500 to those who had been affected, while a flood fund set up by a local commissioner issued several small grants.

Mr Perkins said “when you’ve lost your house” the money on offer was “chicken feed really”.

In addition to repairing the damaged caused by the floods, Mr Perkins said many residents were struggling to secure affordable home insurance.

“Some people are being quoted a £10,000 excess” he continued.

In June, Treasury Minster Alfred Cannan told Tyndall his departs net was in discussions with the U.K. Government about including the island in the national flood reinsurance scheme.

Under the scheme, the excess on any home insurance policy is limited to £250.

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Loganair and Blue Islands to offer Scotland and Channel Islands link. Recorded 13/07/2020

Loganair will share the connection with Blue Islands airline.

Scottish airline Loganair will partially operates routes between Jersey and Scotland as part of a new deal. The partnership with Channel Islands-based airline Blue Islands will enable passengers to buy a single ticket for connecting flights.

Travellers will be able to transfer from one airline to another at hubs including Southampton and Manchester . Blue Islands stayed the deal would help “boost” the UK and Channel Islands’ economic recovery from coronavirus.

The agreement will connect locations including Inverness, Exter, the Isle of Man, Southampton, Guernsey, Jersey, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle.

Passengers flying with Blue Islands from Jersey, Exeter or Southampton will also be able to meet a connecting Loganair flight to Aberdeen.

Blue Islands recently revealed a new livery as part of a re-brand.

The Channel Islanss airline said the ability to travel one one ticket would allow passengers to save the double air passenger duty which would apply if tickets for the flights were purchased serparately. The through-fare would also provide customers with “guaranteed connections”, the airline added.

‘VITAL SUPPORT’

Last week Blue Islands announced it would move it’s base from Guernsey to Jersey following a £10m loan from Jersey’s government.

Blue Island’s chief executive Rob Veron said he was “excited” by the partnership with Loganair, which would provide “vital support for our visitor economies, particularly in the Channel Islands”.

Jersey reopened it’s borders to all travelers on the 3rd of July, while Guernsey’s remain closed due to the pandemic.

Travellers from the Channel Islands are exempt from UK quarantine rules as part of the Common Travel Area.

Loganair’s chief executive Johnathon Hinkles said: “Providing dependable air services to communities throughout the UK, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man is a core part of the ‘DNA’ of both airlines, and joining up our networks, we can help many more customers reach their destination”.

Blue Islands said the new links would “soon be available” for out customers to book online. Direct flights from Jersey to Glasgow and Edinburgh by airline EasyJet are expected to resume from August and September respectively.

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Coronavirus: Isle of Wight hovercraft stops amid passenger face mask row. Recorded 29th June 2020.

*The captain of a hovercraft was forced to put suspension on a crossing due to two passengers refusing to wear face masks. Police were summoned as the service from Southses to Ryde on the Isle of Wight was out on a halt when the pair became “verbally abusive”, stayed by Hovertravel. The firm has banned them and postponed their travel cards for breaching it’s abusive behaviour policy, on the 17:30 BST service on Friday. Anyone that is using public transport for travel must wear a face covering. Hampshire Constabulary stated officers have spoken to the pair on their arrival in Ryde, after the crossing resumed. The argument was apparently about one of the passengers wearing a face mask which had a broken strap, a police spokeswoman said. No formal complaint was made and officers noted the passengers were no longer permitted to use the service. According to the second picture-people with certain health conditions, disabled people and children under 11 years of age are exempt from the rule.

*Under the rule, which came into force on 15th June, passengers without a covering will be asked to wear on, or face the state of refusal or be fined £100. Hovertravel said “Staff have engaged with these customers on a number of former occasions, explaining the reasons why, and putting more encouragement on the use of face coverings. The captain stopped the hovercraft during the crossing to re-iterate the regulations but was forced to escalate the process by police involvement to enforce compliance. “The costumers became verbally abusive and so Hovertravel followed it’s zero tolerance policy to any abusive behaviour by cancelling both costumers’ travel cards”.