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]
Jan 26, 2021, 4:48 pm
#5566
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club, SIA KrisFlyer, Qantas FF, Emirates Skywards
Posts: 1,850
Jan 26, 2021, 4:54 pm
#5567
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Avis Preferred
Posts: 3,265
on one hand it seems absurd to think of it lasting that long.
on the other, i can see the government slowly making it apply across the board since they prefer the ease-in model rather than decisive action on anything covid related.
plus i'm curious to see how this actually plays out, especially since banning people from south africa is pointless unless they mean transfers via DOH and then are they just risking that everyone on the DOH-LHR flight all lucked out and escaped any further spread of the SA variant and it is just the SA xfer pax? there are just so many ridiculous gaps that again, i wouldnt be surprised the government slowly closes up over time making this drag on for much longer than it needs to be.
but, i'd of course love to be wrong in the end!
on the other, i can see the government slowly making it apply across the board since they prefer the ease-in model rather than decisive action on anything covid related.
plus i'm curious to see how this actually plays out, especially since banning people from south africa is pointless unless they mean transfers via DOH and then are they just risking that everyone on the DOH-LHR flight all lucked out and escaped any further spread of the SA variant and it is just the SA xfer pax? there are just so many ridiculous gaps that again, i wouldnt be surprised the government slowly closes up over time making this drag on for much longer than it needs to be.
but, i'd of course love to be wrong in the end!
Jan 26, 2021, 4:58 pm
#5568
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 94
The prophecy has come to pass!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...e_Awmsf7tNB5LB
I guess all further details to follow tomorrow.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...e_Awmsf7tNB5LB
- 30 countries initially, 28 in South America and Africa, Cape Verde, and Portugal.
- Cost is expected to be up to £1,500 for 10 days self-isolation, meals served in rooms, and supervised by private security guards.
- Additional 4 more countries may be added - Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates – because of risk from the variants.
- Pressure to extend to other countries having identified cases of the Brazilian and South Africa variants. These 22 include Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Italy, and France.
I guess all further details to follow tomorrow.
Jan 26, 2021, 5:11 pm
#5569
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Gold, Caesars Diamond
Posts: 933
Any idea if this will apply to connection/transits? EY AND EK aren’t going to like this if so..
Jan 26, 2021, 5:21 pm
#5570
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,188
You mean if someone leaves one of the African countries and instead of going direct to the UK goes via say DXB?
I would be extremely surprised if it doesn't cover that too. Current self isolation applies based on where you have been and transited in the last 10 days, not just where you are arriving from. It would be surprising if the same principle doesn't apply to enforced hotel quarantine - otherwise the whole thing would be pretty pointless.
I can't imagine the UK government is remotely bothered whether EK or EY will like this tbh.
EDIT: and yes if the UAE is put on the list then expect it to cover anyone transiting the UAE just as current self isolation does include where you have transited. We should get more details on Wednesday.
I would be extremely surprised if it doesn't cover that too. Current self isolation applies based on where you have been and transited in the last 10 days, not just where you are arriving from. It would be surprising if the same principle doesn't apply to enforced hotel quarantine - otherwise the whole thing would be pretty pointless.
I can't imagine the UK government is remotely bothered whether EK or EY will like this tbh.
EDIT: and yes if the UAE is put on the list then expect it to cover anyone transiting the UAE just as current self isolation does include where you have transited. We should get more details on Wednesday.
Jan 26, 2021, 5:22 pm
#5571
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club, SIA KrisFlyer, Qantas FF, Emirates Skywards
Posts: 1,850
I think they won't be happy no matter what. UAE next on the list - which is surprising to me considering that they have vaccinated 27% of their population - or at least given 27% a first shot I should say.
Jan 26, 2021, 6:31 pm
#5572
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London, Sth Africa or LAS
Programs: VS Silver, BA Blue - finally; but hotels.com Gold :)
Posts: 1,858
The quoted point caught my eye and its rarely touched on; and it leads to an interesting dilemma (possibly!).
If the Kent variant is: covered by the current vaccines with no or only minor drop in efficacy (and really really cuts down on hospitalisations); has almost the same infection to death rates as the former dominant; and seems controllable via public health measures ... then is there a case for other countries considering not trying too hard to avoid the Kent variant?
In other words, given the evolutionary advantage (and should the three 'ifs' I note turn out to be met), then is it better the devil you know than risking more deadly or more evasive variants?
I'm not at all advocating this as the next step, rather throwing it out there that variants will continue to develop and many will be out there already. Therefore, surely, the effort should not necessarily wholly be to avoid new variants (which seems the current emphasis) but include the possibility that certain variants might be embraced and an opportunity.
Last edited by littlefish; Jan 26, 2021 at 6:39 pm
Jan 26, 2021, 8:26 pm
#5574
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Kazakhstan
Programs: BA Gold, AirAstana Silver (much use as chocolate teapot)
Posts: 867
Given Doha, Abu Dhabi & Dubai are all major transit hubs from many of the proposed high risk countries it would be entirely logical to include them on the list.
The real problem with this is if the fear is from a known threat SA or Brazillian variant there is a way out (Show it is no worse than current variants or vaccines remain effective), but if it's from any variant there is no way out of this. Generally, Western democracies do not impose draconian measures for undefined threats.
Last edited by DorsetKnob; Jan 26, 2021 at 8:32 pm
Jan 26, 2021, 8:40 pm
#5575
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
Wonder what notice there will be when new countries are added e.g. 48 hours or so like with the travel corridor? As you say including Spain and France will severely impact tourists.
Is Cyprus or Greece in the list of 22 European countries that might be added?
Also the year doesn't make sense I thought they said it only takes 6-8 weeks to tweak vaccines for new variants?
Is Cyprus or Greece in the list of 22 European countries that might be added?
Also the year doesn't make sense I thought they said it only takes 6-8 weeks to tweak vaccines for new variants?
Last edited by paulaf; Jan 26, 2021 at 9:14 pm
Jan 26, 2021, 9:27 pm
#5576
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,006
Even if it does take only 6-8 weeks to "tweak" a vaccine, there is also the very significant time required to manufacture, distribute and deliver to the population. And that can't be done every time a variant springs up.
Jan 26, 2021, 9:33 pm
#5577
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
Looks like we'll be going to Cornwall then with Matt Hancock!
Jan 26, 2021, 11:53 pm
#5578
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 5,002
I'll give it a week after the scheme starts before a security guard (from Serco I assume?) gets caught bonking one of the quarantine subjects whilst they're supposed to be "guarding".
Jan 27, 2021, 12:42 am
#5579
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,268
Ok, while we wait for HMG to sort out the 'this country in', 'this country out' lottery, I've got the following issues:
Then I have my own very personal reservations which is what I call the "Fog in the Channel-Continent cut off" syndrome. We believe way too much in the importance of this tiny island, and those in power even more so. It's perhaps OMNI stuff, but I do think that we risk, once this is all said and done, to find out that this policy of shutting the world out has resulted in the world realising they can do without us. In the work I'm doing (for now) I'm seeing quite a few worrying trends where Britain is just being ignored as too hard to enter/too unreliable. It's international shipping so not exactly front page news but... cargo ships carry 90% of trade.
- Costs. I expected worse, sure, but I somehow think that within that £1,500 there will be some significant profit margins for the various Best Westerns/Holiday Inns/Travelodges/Purple Palaces in and around the Borough of Hounslow. It'd be nice, once all this is said and done, to have an inquiry in how certain companies have received certain contracts but that's just me being a cynic.
- Security. It's obvious that the likes of Serco, G4S etc. will need to be used (see point 1 above); it's also obvious that it's just a question of time before we read front page articles of some epic blunder. Melbourne had a harsh 112-day lockdown because of infections seeping out of quarantine hotels, mostly through guards having sex with the quarantined or whatever. Sydney, where cops were used, didn't
- Sustainability of the whole affair. There's plenty of proof that HMG hasn't been able, so far, to deal with a lot of the logistical/organisational challenges that this crisis has caused. Sorting out hotel quarantine for hundreds, if not thousands, of people each day in many different locations across the country is something China can do; Boris? Colour me extremely skeptical.
- Criteria for inclusion and exclusion. Unlike, say, Norway, England has never been capable of explaining in a clear and unambiguous way the criteria for being on a travel corridor or not. With time a pattern has sort of emerged but, I'll be honest, it felt as if Shapps played Wheel of Fortune every Thursday. Here the stakes are a lot higher - what will be the criteria for inclusion/not? How many cases of a variant need one country to register before the UK puts the hotel ban on it, and how many to be lifted? Which strains are dangerous, and which aren't? If a strain is found to be countered by the vaccines, does the ban get lifted? This is stuff the government ought to know and explain.
Then I have my own very personal reservations which is what I call the "Fog in the Channel-Continent cut off" syndrome. We believe way too much in the importance of this tiny island, and those in power even more so. It's perhaps OMNI stuff, but I do think that we risk, once this is all said and done, to find out that this policy of shutting the world out has resulted in the world realising they can do without us. In the work I'm doing (for now) I'm seeing quite a few worrying trends where Britain is just being ignored as too hard to enter/too unreliable. It's international shipping so not exactly front page news but... cargo ships carry 90% of trade.
Jan 27, 2021, 12:42 am
#5580
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+, BAEC Silver
Posts: 3,684
The Times is reporting that Priti wanted more (paywalled):
The government will announce today a limited hotel quarantine system for arrivals from high-risk countries after Boris Johnson rejected calls by Priti Patel for the temporary closure of Britain’s borders.
The Times has been told that the home secretary pushed for a travel ban to stop potentially vaccine-resistant strains of coronavirus being imported into the country. Ms Patel suggested the move to allow time for the preparation of a blanket hotel quarantine system for all arrivals.
The Times has been told that the home secretary pushed for a travel ban to stop potentially vaccine-resistant strains of coronavirus being imported into the country. Ms Patel suggested the move to allow time for the preparation of a blanket hotel quarantine system for all arrivals.