Isle of Man Scraps Lockdown, Mask Rules, Social Distancing in "Return to Near Normal"

Residents of the Isle of Man are returning to 'near normal' conditions after the government scrapped mask and social distancing rules and ended a brief lockdown.

The self-governing island, part of the British Isles, exited a 25-day 'circuit break' lockdown after no 'unexplained' COVID cases were detected since a small outbreak in early January.

On Monday, roughly 85,000 residents resumed their customary lifestyles, with some exceptions pertaining to strict border controls and international travel rules.

"The end of the lockdown means that life on the Island can return to near normal," the Isle of Man government announced. "There is no longer any requirement for social distancing and government is no longer recommending that the public wear face coverings."

"All businesses required to close or switch to a take-away service as part of the circuit break are free to reopen and return to normal service with immediate effect. The Island's schools will reopen today and the majority of public services will return to normal operation in the coming days."

Pub owners opened their doors to joyful customers at the stroke of midnight.

“It’s wonderful to be back in here,” local blacksmith George Kneale told The Guardian while sipping a beer at the White House Hotel in Peel. “We’re in fine fettle. Having that bit of water between us and the U.K. can really help sometimes.”

Tourists are currently not allowed to enter the Isle of Man, and strict screening and quarantine protocols remain in place for approved visitors.

'Planned-opolis' was a U.N.-funded cartoon teaching kids they will never leave their home or own anything in the near future.

(PHOTO: Henryk Sadura / Getty Images)

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