bisonrav

I really think the day 2 test is about being able to sequence the positive cases to get a handle on spread. That part does make sense.

Fruitcake

Sounds helpful. if somewhat defeating the government's purpose (that may or may not be a bad thing).
But is this actually correct?

SarahWest

The pre-flight test is likely to stop you getting on the plane in the first place if you are infected and contagious. It won't stop you getting on the plane if you are at an early stage of infection below the threshold of lateral flow test detection and not contagious. And, yes, you need to self isolate until the much more sensitive day 2 PCR result comes through as negative.

firstlight

It's a pain in the proverbial, especially coming from USA to UK on Tuesday morning as we have to get a test no earlier than 7pm Saturday. Pcr takes too long unless it's ultra fast and ultra expensive. Lateral flow is possible but is being charged at anything up to $175 pp. We managed to get quote for 100 but testing centres here are not set up for raid certicates like the uk and want 24 hours to process a fit to fly.

KARFA

I am not sure what you mean?

if you arrive on Tuesday you can do your test any time on Sunday and monday.

cattp

Just would echo again the horse has bolted.

No one can seriously be under the impression that air travel is crippling the country in terms of positive Covid cases, right?

Airports are some of the places I've felted the safest lately. Christmas markets, packed. Theatres and cinemas, packed. Trains, packed. Sports arenas, packed. All without masks being used by most, if not all in very crowded spaces.

At least every flight I've been on masks have been policed well and most people seem to follow. Not to mention the countless other safeguarding in place.

The variant is already here en-mass. Only not as many people are bothering to test anymore if they get it. People go to these events, fall ill, and go back to life, for the most part and they don't care. It appears at the end of the arse of the government is an airport, because they need to get their head out of it, and stop blaming air travel, and look at all these real super spreader events domestically all around us.

dwugson

However, asymptomatic as you might be after a triple vax you can still transmit this to others who might have additional risk factors or contribute to the spread of a variant.
I'm fully in support of a test within 24 hours of travel, whether into or out of the UK. However am very upset that spread still seems to be continuing in those that are fully vaccinated and hoping that this will eventually come under some semblance of control.

LPQ

Dept of Health Press Release currently shows:

• In light of emerging evidence on the Omicron variant, from 4am on Tuesday 7 December anyone aged 12 and above wishing to travel to the UK will need to show a negative pre-departure test (LFD or PCR) as close as possible to departure and not more than 48 hours before to slow the importation of the new variant
  

Gov.uk mentions the two day limit which could be seen as 48 hours or two days before the day of travel.

firstlight

no, test samples for us can be taken no earlier than 7pm Saturday - 48 hours before departure - and most places are closed by now.

And sure if you want to pay $250 for a 3 hour test. In reality in this part of the USA (MCO) the delay to get a PCR is mostly too long from standard places like walgreens, they are not doing rapid tests and it's the weekend. We will have to checkin by midafternoon Monday because the check in agents will be coping with the hundreds of brits who will get denied boarding for having no test.

KARFA

i doubt very much it is actually 48 hrs and instead it will be 2 days - and yes I would be willing to put money on it

Every test up to now we have had for travel for the uk has had limits based on days and not exact hours - so it would be a very odd departure from that to start requiring a test be done with 48 hours and not 2 days.

firstlight

The official site says 48 hours

KARFA

And another official site says 2 days

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-t...virus-covid-19

as I said based on experience of all the tests the UK has required before I very strongly suggest it will be days not exact hours.

care to put £50 on it?

TomMM

Would an antigen test suffice?

corporate-wage-slave

It will be 2 days. Well, we need to check the wording of the new Statutory Instrument, but there is a form of wording that has been used for a host of COVID related details and mostly it talks about whole days.
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I suspect companies like Testing for All and SimplyTestMe will be selling the former day2 tests, so people can take a pack with them and send in the photo. The test proof will not be very high, a text message will do so long as it has all the relevant key details.

firstlight

only if you're prepared to pay 3k for new flights for us in J if you're wrong - in the end its what BA checkin agents in MCO say which matters.