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]
Oct 11, 2020, 9:29 am
#4291
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
It's not the travel as such that was restricted, but if you live in the relevant parts of the NW / NE you are forbidden by law to visit Rome with your sister if she was in a different household, for example, or to see a friend in Munich. The draft I've seen relates to overnight stays.
I wonder if going on a flight can be counted as an "overnight stay"? For example the 2200-0400 Aegean flight to Athens. If BA had been operating a normal schedule I would have done several day trips around Europe when cases were mostly low in July and August. Also if Hong Kong had no quarantine requirement I would have liked to do a "day trip" there if the price was not too bad.
Oct 11, 2020, 9:43 am
#4292
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: 63,803
OK, so you can't travel from the UK with someone from a different household, but surely once you arrive in Italy or Germany you are only obliged to follow the laws there? Unless they want to make this extraterritorial and have people trawling holiday photos for evidence of mixing households overseas??
Oct 11, 2020, 1:49 pm
#4293
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,553
well if what cws notes becomes the final version (and noting these restrictions may only apply to tier 3 areas) then you would not be able to embark on travel which involved staying away from home overnight.
this is effectively where we were in terms of national restrictions for all of June, which was the point where you no longer needed a reasonable excuse to leave your home but you couldn't stay anywhere else overnight without a reasonable excuse. again looking back at June, staying away overnight for work was ok, but not for leisure.
this is effectively where we were in terms of national restrictions for all of June, which was the point where you no longer needed a reasonable excuse to leave your home but you couldn't stay anywhere else overnight without a reasonable excuse. again looking back at June, staying away overnight for work was ok, but not for leisure.
Of course, the restrictions in the central belt are quite strict despite the cases per 100k being less than in the heavy-hit English areas that have not yet implemented some of the same measures.
Also: what are we thinking in terms of this Thursday's review? Anywhere in danger?
Last edited by Dan1113; Oct 11, 2020 at 2:35 pm
Oct 11, 2020, 4:49 pm
#4294
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 491
The law says (in the relevant areas) that you can't leave your area to meet up with people outside your household, there is no geographic limitation as to where the breach happens, there was either a breach or there was not a breach. You are surely right on the enforcement side, there are all sorts of reasons why judges could throw case out of court, but that can never be the point, no virus was ever defeated by a Statutory Instrument. But people do funny things on social media, and penalty charge notifications have been issued to some individuals. There are big issues on the human rights side of this debate, but that's a pandemic wide issue.
Oct 11, 2020, 5:17 pm
#4295
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portugal
Programs: TK Elite+, FB Platinum, BAEC Gold, ALL Diamond, IHG Diamond Royal Ambassador
Posts: 293
Hi,
I assume this is BA for both flights.?
With checked bags ( BA will not check them through on separater tickets) you will need to go landside via Border control , collect your bags ,then check them in.
You will need to fill out details on the UK Passenger locator form before arriving at LHR.
If travelling on the same day put departing on flight xxxxx
If staying at a hotel put the hotel address, staying for 1 night then departing for.
The UK quarantine rules allow you to go to the hotel for 1 night then leave the next day.
Regards
TBS
I assume this is BA for both flights.?
With checked bags ( BA will not check them through on separater tickets) you will need to go landside via Border control , collect your bags ,then check them in.
You will need to fill out details on the UK Passenger locator form before arriving at LHR.
If travelling on the same day put departing on flight xxxxx
If staying at a hotel put the hotel address, staying for 1 night then departing for.
The UK quarantine rules allow you to go to the hotel for 1 night then leave the next day.
Regards
TBS
Oct 12, 2020, 1:16 am
#4296
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: 30,526
In other words, the instrument does not specify geographical limitation because by default, its geographical scope is the whole of England, and specification could only further limit it to a sub-part of that territory as is the case of local lockdowns. What happens beyond those borders is, however, excluded by the very nature legal of territoriality, in just the same way that British law cannot prevent you from smoking something that would be illegal at home when you are in an Amsterdam coffee shop nor give you a right to have an abortion in Alabama in conditions that would be legal in Birmingham.
Oct 12, 2020, 1:53 am
#4297
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,654
No indeed, but it does not need to. Territoriality is a (relatively) clear concept in international law and no country would have the power to override that territoriality unilaterally. In fact, the UK instrument would not be legally allowed to determine what whether an English resident can or cannot have tea with her sister in Glasgow, let alone what they can or cannot do and with whom in Rome or in Calgary.
In other words, the instrument does not specify geographical limitation because by default, its geographical scope is the whole of England, and specification could only further limit it to a sub-part of that territory as is the case of local lockdowns. What happens beyond those borders is, however, excluded by the very nature legal of territoriality, in just the same way that British law cannot prevent you from smoking something that would be illegal at home when you are in an Amsterdam coffee shop nor give you a right to have an abortion in Alabama in conditions that would be legal in Birmingham.
In other words, the instrument does not specify geographical limitation because by default, its geographical scope is the whole of England, and specification could only further limit it to a sub-part of that territory as is the case of local lockdowns. What happens beyond those borders is, however, excluded by the very nature legal of territoriality, in just the same way that British law cannot prevent you from smoking something that would be illegal at home when you are in an Amsterdam coffee shop nor give you a right to have an abortion in Alabama in conditions that would be legal in Birmingham.
Oct 12, 2020, 2:11 am
#4298
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: 30,526
Oct 12, 2020, 3:20 am
#4299
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: 63,803
So here is the data for Monday. Still some big rises in Belgium, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, smaller rises in UK, France and Austria. Today there will be some data shared by Prof. Jonathan Van Tam, the deputy CMO, at 11:00 hrs BST, with statements from the Prime Minister at about 15:30 hrs and a Downing Street Briefing at 18:00 hrs.
Oct 12, 2020, 4:16 am
#4300
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,530
CH published weekend case numbers.
+4068 cases
Positivity: 11.4%
Incidence 136.2/100k
+4068 cases
Positivity: 11.4%
Incidence 136.2/100k
Oct 12, 2020, 4:50 am
#4301
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: 30,526
The one piece of good news is that apart from Italy, none of the 'greens' on the table are deteriorating significantly
Oct 12, 2020, 4:54 am
#4302
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,553
No indeed, but it does not need to. Territoriality is a (relatively) clear concept in international law and no country would have the power to override that territoriality unilaterally. In fact, the UK instrument would not be legally allowed to determine what whether an English resident can or cannot have tea with her sister in Glasgow, let alone what they can or cannot do and with whom in Rome or in Calgary.
In other words, the instrument does not specify geographical limitation because by default, its geographical scope is the whole of England, and specification could only further limit it to a sub-part of that territory as is the case of local lockdowns. What happens beyond those borders is, however, excluded by the very nature legal of territoriality, in just the same way that British law cannot prevent you from smoking something that would be illegal at home when you are in an Amsterdam coffee shop nor give you a right to have an abortion in Alabama in conditions that would be legal in Birmingham.
In other words, the instrument does not specify geographical limitation because by default, its geographical scope is the whole of England, and specification could only further limit it to a sub-part of that territory as is the case of local lockdowns. What happens beyond those borders is, however, excluded by the very nature legal of territoriality, in just the same way that British law cannot prevent you from smoking something that would be illegal at home when you are in an Amsterdam coffee shop nor give you a right to have an abortion in Alabama in conditions that would be legal in Birmingham.
Oct 12, 2020, 5:12 am
#4303
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,918
Oct 12, 2020, 5:37 am
#4304
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Bonvoy LTTitanium, BAEC Silver
Posts: 591
Is Turkey still only counting positive cases who are also showing symptoms despite being outed over a week ago?
Oct 12, 2020, 5:48 am
#4305
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Rhineland-Palatinate
Programs: *A Gold (A3), HHonor Gold
Posts: 5,696
As the number of cases has not increased, yes they still do the same. But notes that number of tests is increasing slowly. Their positive rate is very low which I find strange though. Death are slightly decreasing at around 50 deaths a day.