Jun 4, 2020, 5:57 am
Last edit by: NewbieRunner
Mod note on thread engagement:
A reminder that this thread is about the self-isolation requirements for UK arrivals.
It is a help/Information resource for those travelling or returning to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from outside the UK. Let's concentrate on news, questions and answers that are relevant and on-topic and stay away from speculations about the spread of the virus, the performance of politicians and other topics which are more suitable for OMNI.
Please stay within these requirements to avoid issues.
A reminder that this thread is about the self-isolation requirements for UK arrivals.
It is a help/Information resource for those travelling or returning to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from outside the UK. Let's concentrate on news, questions and answers that are relevant and on-topic and stay away from speculations about the spread of the virus, the performance of politicians and other topics which are more suitable for OMNI.
Please stay within these requirements to avoid issues.
LATEST UPDATES
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-t...virus-covid-19
18 March travel to the UK changes
If you will arrive in the UK from abroad after 4am, Friday 18 March, you do not need to:
- take any COVID-19 tests – before you travel or after you arrive
- fill in a UK passenger locator form before you travel
This will apply whether you are vaccinated or not.
You also will not need to quarantine when you arrive, in line with current rules.
Other countries still have COVID-19 entry rules in place. You should check travel advice before you travel.
If you will arrive in England before 4am, 18 March, you must follow the current rules as set out in this guidance.
*****
The following historical information is retained for the time being.
The Passenger Locator Form for passengers arriving into the UK can be found here:
https://visas-immigration.service.go...r-locator-form
This can only be completed once you are within 48 hours of arrival in the UK.
Exemption list from quarantine requirements - specific details:
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...k-border-rules
England
Statutory instrument for individual passengers arriving in to England: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/582/contents (this html version is updated, but may not have the very latest updates for Statutory Instruments released in the last few days)
Test to release for England only from 15 December, see post 4776 https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32841066-post4776.html
Statutory instrument for transport providers http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2.../contents/made
Scotland
Statutory instrument for individual passengers arriving in to Scotland: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/169/contents (this html version is updated)
Wales
Statutory instrument for individual passengers arriving in to Wales: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2020/574/contents (this html version is updated) &
Welsh language version: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2...0200574_we.pdf
Northern Ireland
Statutory instrument https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2021/99/contents (this html version is updated)
PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR QUICK RELEASE FROM SELF-ISOLATION (based on November 28th updates)
[This section has been moved lower down in the wiki post following the change in self-isolation rule on 7th January 2022[
Any PCR test noted as a UK Government Day 2 test will be accepted for release from self isolation as soon as you get the negative result. If it is any other PCR test (eg "Fit to Fly") and not advertised specifically as a Day 2 test then it won't be valid.
This means that you can:[list]
- Book a suitable Day 2 PCR test before you travel and use the booking reference for the test on the PLF (Passenger Locator Form).
- On your day of arrival go to your scheduled test.
- Proceed to you place of self-isolation and await the result, which will hopefully be same / next day.
Alternatively:- Book any Day 2 PCR test before you travel even if you do not intend to use this test, and use the booking reference for the test on the PLF to ensure entry to the UK.
- Note that you are not strictly required to have a PCR booking before arrival, but your carrier might not know that so you run the risk of being denied boarding
- On your day of arrival (or before end of Day 2) go to a walk-in test centre and take a different test to the one you booked.
- Proceed to you place of self-isolation and await the result, which will hopefully be same / next day.
If you are leaving the UK before the end of day 2 then you do not need to take a test, but are required to self-isolate for the duration of your trip (since you do not have a negative result). Also, if you are self-isolating while waiting for a result (and hence have not been informed of a positive result and need to isolate) you may travel to leave the country.
If you take a test and it is positive for any variant of COVID you will be required to isolate for 10 days from the date of the test.
Whether you take a test or not you may be contacted by the UK Test and Trace system at any time if it becomes apparent that you have been in contact with another case. This is very unlikely to happen before day 3 if it is in relation to your flight to UK. Depending on the suspected / identified variant for that case and if you are fully-vaccinated by an accepted programme (see below for links to what this means and valid exemptions) :- Omnicron or not fully-vaccinated: You will be required to isolated for 10 days, including a bar on travel to leave the country. A negative Day 2 test does not release you from this requirement.
- Other and fully vaccinated : You will not be required to isolate.
- Book any Day 2 PCR test before you travel even if you do not intend to use this test, and use the booking reference for the test on the PLF to ensure entry to the UK.
- Proceed to you place of self-isolation and await the result, which will hopefully be same / next day.
- On your day of arrival go to your scheduled test.
Test Providers for Day 2/8 tests & Day 5 Test to release
This section is for FTers to post their experience with specific providers (good or bad). Keep it brief and to the point. Please mention how the service is provided and your FT name.
DNA Workplace - Postal - Test kits arrived with me on time. Royal Mail slow for return. 5+ days for Day 2 result. #DaveS
DNA Workplace - Postal - Test kits both arrived on time, video of tests required, results by late evening Day 3 and Day 9. #TSE
ExpressTest Gatwick - Drive through - Tested early at 1000 a few times for TTR. Results came through in evening. #DaveS
NowTest - Postal - Day 2 kit arrived on time, day 8 did not. Will update with result arrival times when applicable. #wilsnunn
Collinson - Postal - Day 5 Test to Release kit arrived in time. Results and release by end of day 6. #tjcxx
CTM - Postal - Days 2/8 kits arrived together in time. Both sent results 2 days after posting. #tjcxx
Qured (Oncologica) - Postal -Day 2/8 kits arrived late. Results 3+ days from posting. #Gagravarr
Qured (Oncologica) - Postal - Day 2/8 kits arrived on time. Day 2 result on Day 5 and Day 8 result on Day 10 - happy customer! #EddLegll
Qured (Ocnologica) - Postal - Day 2/8 kits arrived on time. Day 2 result on Day 5 (after bedtime; ironically after my TTR result). #KSVVZ2015
Anglia DNA - Postal - Day 2/8 kits arrived early. (Both were labelled Day2). Results on Day 4 and Day 9. Cheapest on the list at the time, and good service/result. #tjcxx
Qured - Pre-flight test booked and bought through BA. Very efficient service. Highly recommended. #lhrsfo
Randox - Days 2 and 8. Booked two days before return, using BA discount. Kits already arrived on return. Slightly confusing instructions but manageable. Used Randox dropbox and results next day. Good. #lhrsfo
Randox - Day 2 (also used as pre departure test for a London to Milan flight). Used a drop box and results arrived at midnight the next day. #11101
Randox - Day 2 test centre - 2h30 queues outside the test centre in Waterloo. Results of antigen arrived 45 minutes later. #11101
Collinson - Test to Release at LHR T2. Good trip out! Very efficient service and well organised. Used BA discount. Results by end of day. Excellent. #lhrsfo
DAM - Test to Release in Fulham (they have many locations) - the cheapest fast turnaround TTR we have found. They promise 24 hours but in reality me, my wife, and my son (on different days) have received results inside of 12 hours. Very efficient staff as well. Princes outside of Central London as low as 99 GBP. Fulham is 129 GBP. #KSVVZ2015
Boots/Source Bioscience - days 2&8. Both packs sent in the same mail, waiting at the isolation address. Dropped off at postbox at 4pm, result back next day between 4 and 5 pm, very effective. Bought from Boots, £160, but same package sold directly bu Source Bioscience is just £120. Aaargh! Instructions said nasal and throat swabs, did only nasal and marked accordingly, no issues. #WilcoRoger
Collinsons/Stansted walkin TTR - test taken 1:30 pm, email with results 10:10 pm same day If the BA20OFF doesn't work (didn't work for us) there's another discount on the airport's site #WilcoRoger
Ordered Day-2 kit from Chronomics a week before our return for £18.99. Duly dispatched day we were returning to UK, so arrived on day following return. Reasonably simple process to do test and upload -ve result picture. Not sure where +ve result would have led to... #EsherFlyer
Hale Clinic testing centre (near Oxford Circus) - While not the least expensive, appoint schedules are accurate and results returned in promised timeframe. I've used the clinic for Day 2 tests (twice) and antigen test for US (once). I would def utilize again. #ecaarch
Halo at T5 (Sofitel) - Day 2 PCR spit test. Took the test 7pm, results arrived 7am the next day. No queues but a slightly awkward process to follow.
Useful data sources:
New cases per 100k - 7 days: https://covid19.who.int/table
New tests per 1000 - 7 days: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-testing
Vaccination doses per 100: https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
Sequenced samples uploaded to GISAID: https://www.gisaid.org/index.php?id=208
NHS Track & Trace data (positivity rates for arriving passengers are published every three weeks, so if you can't find the data in the current release it will be in one of the previous two) https://www.gov.uk/government/collec...weekly-reports https://assets.publishing.service.go...ut_week_50.ods
UK daily COVID data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/?_ga...827.1594116739
Risk assessment methodology to inform international travel traffic light system
Data informing international travel traffic-light risk assessments
Testing Terminology
Notes which may assist with understanding which tests to use and with "reuse" of UK tests for other countries regulations:
- LFT: Lateral Flow Test - A rapid antigen test using nasal / throat swab typically performed by the traveler at home, hotel, etc using simple disposable device. Usually tests the "outer shell" of the nucleus (which causes the symptoms and is reasonably stable across variants) and not the "spikes" (which allow new variants to invade more easily), so gives a positive result for many variants. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-...d_antigen_test)
- PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction - A laboratory based test which looks at the nucleus of the virus to determine which specific variant it is. After a positive LFT test ("I have some form of COVID") a PCR test ("You have the Gamma variant") allows identification and tracking of new variants to see if they are likely to become a "variant of concern". (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction)
- NAAT: Nucleic Acid Amplification Test - A general class of laboratory based tests which includes PCR, LAMP, etc tests. (See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...b/naats.html)
UK arrivals - pre-departure, quarantine and post-arrival [currently no requirements]
Aug 14, 2020, 3:45 am
#2926
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Aadvantage platinum; IHG Spire
Posts: 546
that’s a little unfair. All of our family live in France and Spain whilst we live in the UK. We are supposed to be going to France in 2 weeks to visit a family member who nearly died from covid and has only just come home from hospital. Now we’ll be lucky if we see our families at all this year! Now we deliberately only booked things that were moveable or cancellable, but it still stings we can’t see our families especially after a very difficult time.
Aug 14, 2020, 3:54 am
#2927
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 133
that’s a little unfair. All of our family live in France and Spain whilst we live in the UK. We are supposed to be going to France in 2 weeks to visit a family member who nearly died from covid and has only just come home from hospital. Now we’ll be lucky if we see our families at all this year! Now we deliberately only booked things that were moveable or cancellable, but it still stings we can’t see our families especially after a very difficult time.
It's hard for a lot of people, I've not seen my family since January whom are abroad, but it's just the unfortunate position we're in.
You have to weigh up the decision for yourself, as do we all, but it isn't fair on the wider community to potentially import an increased risk. Perhaps in the future things will be easier, such as being able to test twice upon return to reduce quarantine. At least that's what I'm hoping for (although I think I'm clutching at straws).
Aug 14, 2020, 3:54 am
#2928
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,837
that’s a little unfair. All of our family live in France and Spain whilst we live in the UK. We are supposed to be going to France in 2 weeks to visit a family member who nearly died from covid and has only just come home from hospital. Now we’ll be lucky if we see our families at all this year! Now we deliberately only booked things that were moveable or cancellable, but it still stings we can’t see our families especially after a very difficult time.
Aug 14, 2020, 4:01 am
#2930
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
Unfortunately the virus' transmission has very little to do with fairness or individual circumstances, and the restrictions are for community rather than personal benefit. The main transmission route is between family and household members and that's very difficult to inhibit with reasonable public health measures. However so long as you are able to self isolate for 2 weeks upon return, something we all had to a few months back and for rather longer timeframe, then you are still able to visit your family, it's not a travel ban.
However, I'm getting more and more convinced that as the situation becomes chronic we need to find better tools than quarantine and lockdowns (especially if the actual enforcement is, and I'm being kind here, like adherence to road signs by drivers in Isfahan). It feels to me that right now all we have is carpet bombers while we need precision ordnance. We've already had a whopping -20% of GDP: if we don't want to destroy the rest of the economy (and the travel industry, although subsequent UK governments have been less than mindful of that in the past) we need something different.
Aug 14, 2020, 4:01 am
#2931
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Aadvantage platinum; IHG Spire
Posts: 546
Unfortunately the virus' transmission has very little to do with fairness or individual circumstances, and the restrictions are for community rather than personal benefit. The main transmission route is between family and household members and that's very difficult to inhibit with reasonable public health measures. However so long as you are able to self isolate for 2 weeks upon return, something we all had to a few months back and for rather longer timeframe, then you are still able to visit your family, it's not a travel ban.
You can still see your families in Spain and France, just you won't be able to cover your trip with Insurance and you'll need to quarantine for 2 weeks upon return.
It's hard for a lot of people, I've not seen my family since January whom are abroad, but it's just the unfortunate position we're in.
You have to weigh up the decision for yourself, as do we all, but it isn't fair on the wider community to potentially import an increased risk. Perhaps in the future things will be easier, such as being able to test twice upon return to reduce quarantine. At least that's what I'm hoping for (although I think I'm clutching at straws).
It's hard for a lot of people, I've not seen my family since January whom are abroad, but it's just the unfortunate position we're in.
You have to weigh up the decision for yourself, as do we all, but it isn't fair on the wider community to potentially import an increased risk. Perhaps in the future things will be easier, such as being able to test twice upon return to reduce quarantine. At least that's what I'm hoping for (although I think I'm clutching at straws).
i appreciate I’m not the only one in this position and I also get its for the greater good. My point was more in response to DYKWIA’s rather harsh lack of sympathy and pointing out not every one trying to get abroad is going in a jolly.
Aug 14, 2020, 4:06 am
#2932
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Aadvantage platinum; IHG Spire
Posts: 546
I wholeheartedly agree, and it's undeniable that returnees are a large vector of infections (at least it's the case in other countries, I honestly don't know about the UK).
However, I'm getting more and more convinced that as the situation becomes chronic we need to find better tools than quarantine and lockdowns (especially if the actual enforcement is, and I'm being kind here, like adherence to road signs by drivers in Isfahan). It feels to me that right now all we have is carpet bombers while we need precision ordnance. We've already had a whopping -20% of GDP: if we don't want to destroy the rest of the economy (and the travel industry, although subsequent UK governments have been less than mindful of that in the past) we need something different.
However, I'm getting more and more convinced that as the situation becomes chronic we need to find better tools than quarantine and lockdowns (especially if the actual enforcement is, and I'm being kind here, like adherence to road signs by drivers in Isfahan). It feels to me that right now all we have is carpet bombers while we need precision ordnance. We've already had a whopping -20% of GDP: if we don't want to destroy the rest of the economy (and the travel industry, although subsequent UK governments have been less than mindful of that in the past) we need something different.
Aug 14, 2020, 4:07 am
#2933
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,541
- Croatia (green) and Portugal (red) which seemed to have controlled the spread and had decreasing figures have seen increases again for the past week in Croatia and 5 days for Portugal. Sweden keeps increasing too.
- Among countries which were low, the increase is still moderate but continuous in Germany and Cyprus, a bit higher in Greece, Poland, and Denmark.
- Worth noting that of recent "delisting" France occurred at the lowest rate of all recent cases (others typically occurred at rates between 40 and 80 and with faster rates of increase - typically more than doubling the week before, France in the low 30s and with an increase of 66% on todays' figure) so thresholds for further delisting may still potentially become more conservative in coming weeks (in a way, delisting France at those particular levels likely makes it a new (and tougher) precedent and I don't think the government could easily go back to the earlier more lenient criteria, but they could easily make them even stricter.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Aug 14, 2020 at 4:22 am Reason: Removed image from quote
Aug 14, 2020, 4:28 am
#2934
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,837
- Worth noting that of recent "delisting" France occurred at the lowest rate of all recent cases (others typically occurred at rates between 40 and 80 and with faster rates of increase - typically more than doubling the week before, France in the low 30s and with an increase of 66% on todays' figure) so thresholds for further delisting may still potentially become more conservative in coming weeks (in a way, delisting France at those particular levels likely makes it a new (and tougher) precedent and I don't think the government could easily go back to the earlier more lenient criteria, but they could easily make them even stricter.
Aug 14, 2020, 4:46 am
#2935
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Kazakhstan
Programs: BA Gold, AirAstana Silver (much use as chocolate teapot)
Posts: 867
People are simply going to not ignore the isolation rules. If you want to control it keep all but essential travel guidance in place. You won't stop all travel but at least greatly reduce the non-essential.
Aug 14, 2020, 4:47 am
#2936
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Accor Live Limitless Gold, Hilton Honours Gold, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,807
The decision process for France was unusual. The consensus yesterday lunchtime was that Malta, NL and the others were over the threshold, but France was right on the line. The 7 day figure suggested at least several more days of high growth, but it was in essence a 50/50 call and the view was to keep France on the exemption list, knowing that there would be a high chance of it being removed from the list next week, or even have a mid week change. One factor being that though the road haulage industry is exempt from the restrictions, there are indirect impacts. This proposed way forward was given to the PM's office but the PM "called in" the decision - which means there was a second meeting yesterday evening, which resulted in France being removed from exemption. The PM felt that France's status was bound to change very soon anyway, and if it happens now there would be less impact on the school return dates in September.
Aug 14, 2020, 5:07 am
#2937
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,756
70% of the new infections in the last 14 days in the German city where I live are people returning from overseas (though I haven't found anything saying the source countries). For a city with 500k population, there are currently 49 infected people (in quarantine) and 255 close contacts in quarantine. There is currently a large festival in the city centre, but no reports of community transmission.
I can understand the UK decision, especially if it becomes a trade off between holidays and opening schools, and until the UK contact tracing capability is proven. However, I'm writing this from a hotel in Czechia.....
I can understand the UK decision, especially if it becomes a trade off between holidays and opening schools, and until the UK contact tracing capability is proven. However, I'm writing this from a hotel in Czechia.....
Aug 14, 2020, 6:02 am
#2938
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
I take it the transit without leaving the car rule is out the window? Even if one were to drive non stop from Germany to the tunnel?
Aug 14, 2020, 6:10 am
#2939
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: VIE
Programs: SAS EBS / *A Silver, Hilton Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 3,783
Aug 14, 2020, 6:11 am
#2940
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,837
My reading of the guidance is that the transit rules would still allow exemption, so long as no-one gets out of the car, or enters, while going through France/BNL.