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]
#3196
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 133
I'm off to Norway on Thursday, so very fortunate to slip in just in time!
#3197
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: 63,857
Tomorrow's UK figure will be 21.0 since a 600 figure is going out and a 1,000 figure is going in.
#3198
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 133
Yup, they take a hard line. Cyprus hit 20.1 Wednesday last week and fell into that weeks cycle. Fortunately there's a few days grace after the announcement, just as the UK does.
#3200
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 133
It hasn't happened *yet* for countries, simply because there hasn't been a country that turned red and dipped back under. However, they have continually updated regions in Sweden and Denmark and moved them from red to yellow (there is no green). Based on that, I'd assume they'd move countries to yellow should they fall under 20.
The UK would need to average around 950 daily cases over 14 days to fall under 20, so it's possible in a week or two the UK might be fortunate to fall under. The fact the UK has such a high testing rate, and focusing on regions that are thought to have local outbreaks, it doesn't help with the numbers game. Norway have said they hope to look at regions of non-Nordic countries, but there's currently concern over data quality. I've not heard anything more on this for a few months.
The UK would need to average around 950 daily cases over 14 days to fall under 20, so it's possible in a week or two the UK might be fortunate to fall under. The fact the UK has such a high testing rate, and focusing on regions that are thought to have local outbreaks, it doesn't help with the numbers game. Norway have said they hope to look at regions of non-Nordic countries, but there's currently concern over data quality. I've not heard anything more on this for a few months.
#3201
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,553
I wish the UK would move to a regional thing too. Belgium seems to manage it.
#3202
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: 63,857
A report in the Telegraph on Wednesday, second lead story, has Grant Shapps' fingerprints all over it. It suggests that he is going to push for PCR testing on arrrival as a means to reduce the self isolation period. It's going to Covid-Ops cabinet committee on Monday, with various options, including sticking with the current self isolation option only. I don't think the Home Secretary will be attending that committee. The only alternative option that I can see being approved would be something like PCR on arrival plus a second PCR on day 8, with release from self isolation if negative (typically you would find out on day 9 or 10). You could still serve out the 14 days if that was more convenient. Regional corridors (in other words Azores and Canary Islands) are also under consideration on Monday.
#3203
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
A report in the Telegraph on Wednesday, second lead story, has Grant Shapps' fingerprints all over it. It suggests that he is going to push for PCR testing on arrrival as a means to reduce the self isolation period. It's going to Covid-Ops cabinet committee on Monday, with various options, including sticking with the current self isolation option only. I don't think the Home Secretary will be attending that committee. The only alternative option that I can see being approved would be something like PCR on arrival plus a second PCR on day 8, with release from self isolation if negative (typically you would find out on day 9 or 10). You could still serve out the 14 days if that was more convenient. Regional corridors (in other words Azores and Canary Islands) are also under consideration on Monday.
i don’t think there is much difference between 10 and 14 especially if you are leaving the house to shop anyway.
Also I hope they do not get stricter on the amount of countries by thinking they have made it easier for people coming to the country
#3204
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,774
Cutting four days makes a difference to people who can’t work from home, their employers, and the economy.
#3205
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
#3206
If the pattern is the same in UK then the proportion of cases imported is growing. The table above was week 29-32, and today was published week 30-33 results. Out of 16 000 new cases over 4 weeks there was 9500 cases infected in Germany, 6500 cases infected abroad. So in proportion this is growing compared to the last report. Vacation hotspots such as Croatia and Turkey are among the top countries where people get infected.
#3207
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: clue is in the nym
Programs: BA Gold, TP Gold, VS Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 832
Plus, and this is possibly more important than simply lopping 4 days off the time one must 'Remain Indoors!', actually testing people when they arrive gives you much more data to work with when determining what restrictions are actually necessary. Right now Spain is a theoretical threat because the country as a whole has a high rate of community transmission, but if you had data that demonstrated that, over time, the actual incidence of someone getting off a plane from Alicante, Malaga or Seville for example and testing positive for Covid was rare and remained steady you could build your testing and isolation regime around more detailed information and have, for example, a more nuanced and regional approach to travel corridors and 'quarantine' requirements.
#3208
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,238
It's a starting point, but the real deal would be shaving off those 2 days to return test results. Also, what's the science behind 8 days for a test? Hungary or Iceland are doing the second test (or mandating it) within 3 days from the first one. Still, it feels like a more intelligent approach than the one we currently have, althought I doubt it'll be up and running before October. Speed and efficiency aren't this government's forte, in my mind.
#3209
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: 30,546
[Redacted reference to a post since deleted by a moderator]
In the case of Germany, I'd argue that Turkey is more to be paired with Kosovo, Serbia, Poland, Romania, and Bosnia, ie significant family travel. It does not make much difference to the substance of your argument, except in terms of the activities likely to be at the source of transmission. In those cases, I'd expect that many people who have been to those three countries likely spent significant time meeting up with different parts of extended family, which is an eminently understandable human urge, but also extremely risk Covid-wise.
I don't think many people get contaminated by laying on the beach or taking photos of the Blue Mosque, but if anyone is travelling at all, I think that avoiding clubs and football nights at the pub, and, - however sad and inhumane this might sound - resisting the urge to hug aunts and grandmothers will likely make a difference to the risk of infection.
I don't think many people get contaminated by laying on the beach or taking photos of the Blue Mosque, but if anyone is travelling at all, I think that avoiding clubs and football nights at the pub, and, - however sad and inhumane this might sound - resisting the urge to hug aunts and grandmothers will likely make a difference to the risk of infection.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Aug 19, 2020 at 3:16 am Reason: See above
#3210
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,265
If the pattern is the same in UK then the proportion of cases imported is growing. The table above was week 29-32, and today was published week 30-33 results. Out of 16 000 new cases over 4 weeks there was 9500 cases infected in Germany, 6500 cases infected abroad. So in proportion this is growing compared to the last report. Vacation hotspots such as Croatia and Turkey are among the top countries where people get infected.
I agree that most people are underestimating the potential for imported infections. If an imported case then infects someone within German borders it is seemingly included in the Deutschland numbers above, so the real impact of imported cases is probably even greater. Note the lack of imported cases from the UK, too, which gives me some more confidence in the UK testing regime / accuracy of UK data! Malta, on the other hand, really doesn't look good compared to likely number of people entering Germany from there.