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]
May 8, 2021, 7:53 am
#7576
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 963
And indeed 13 of those states are older than the USA. I guess this is the fault of whoever it was that running the show back then. Realistically the USA figures will always get aggregated and treated as one entity, since from a travel perspective you are all under one border.
May 8, 2021, 7:57 am
#7577
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 710
Thanks for posting and good to get some insight on the process.
Problem with the USA is that the 50 states are vastly different and might equate to comparing each EU country as 1 location. In that case Portugal doesn’t look so good. And so goes the problem of relying on this type of data as opposed to examining the real threat - the individual person and if they’ve been jabbed.
But at least it gives us something to talk about.
Problem with the USA is that the 50 states are vastly different and might equate to comparing each EU country as 1 location. In that case Portugal doesn’t look so good. And so goes the problem of relying on this type of data as opposed to examining the real threat - the individual person and if they’ve been jabbed.
But at least it gives us something to talk about.
May 8, 2021, 7:58 am
#7578
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 200
thx
May 8, 2021, 8:07 am
#7579
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,658
May 8, 2021, 8:41 am
#7580
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
I've read today on a Canarian newspaper that the Spanish "can and may in all probability allow UK visitors in from 17th May as they know people want to see family and friends and visit holiday homes", so keeping my fingers crossed, but if you hear anything from Madrid or HMG etc , could you possibly give me the heads up please so I'm not having to wait to read it officially as these things take time to find out? As my flight is actually on 17th May so would like a couple of days notice !
Last edited by paulaf; May 8, 2021 at 9:20 am
May 8, 2021, 9:20 am
#7581
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club, SIA KrisFlyer, Qantas FF, Emirates Skywards
Posts: 1,850
corporate-wage-slave - one thing I'm confused on is why are vaccinated people not allowed to have more leniency. I've said before that possibly discrimination (as half of us are still yet to receive a dose) is a reason for no easing of restrictions - however, we are still being told (Jenny Haries last night) that we "don't yet have absolute clarity on the transmission risk".
You have described the vaccine effectiveness quite well, with some excellent data. The CDC in America and their EU counterparts have eased the rules for fully vaccinated people (in many aspects, not just travel). The UK has vaccinated close to 70% of adults, and yet, the government won't budge on allowing fully vaccinated people to do things more freely.
At what point do will the government actually say, yes the vaccines are clearly showing required efficacy in transmission, as well as reducing severe illness and hospitalisation?
Again, I'm no expert, but are we not approaching some level of herd immunity now, along with almost everyone above 50 & the vulnerable vaccinated that we should be easing more restrictions? Obviously my worry for the travel industry is clear, but I have seen 5 small businesses close down in my area in North London because they can no longer support their business. Are we not supposed to be following the 'data' not the 'dates'?
You have described the vaccine effectiveness quite well, with some excellent data. The CDC in America and their EU counterparts have eased the rules for fully vaccinated people (in many aspects, not just travel). The UK has vaccinated close to 70% of adults, and yet, the government won't budge on allowing fully vaccinated people to do things more freely.
At what point do will the government actually say, yes the vaccines are clearly showing required efficacy in transmission, as well as reducing severe illness and hospitalisation?
Again, I'm no expert, but are we not approaching some level of herd immunity now, along with almost everyone above 50 & the vulnerable vaccinated that we should be easing more restrictions? Obviously my worry for the travel industry is clear, but I have seen 5 small businesses close down in my area in North London because they can no longer support their business. Are we not supposed to be following the 'data' not the 'dates'?
May 8, 2021, 9:28 am
#7582
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
The mechanisms behind Green, Amber and Red have now been published.
The Joint Biosecurity Centre (a mechanism for a UK public health body which gets around having a Four Nations' approach to this area) will use a Risk Assessment Methodology to decide which country can be made Green. This isn't entirely mathematical, in that (for example) if a country seems OK on the figures but we suspect that their data is dodgy, then it's going not going get Green status. The baseline is that each of the 250 territories in question is Amber, and countries will be pushed to Red or Green as we progress through 4 stages:
The Joint Biosecurity Centre (a mechanism for a UK public health body which gets around having a Four Nations' approach to this area) will use a Risk Assessment Methodology to decide which country can be made Green. This isn't entirely mathematical, in that (for example) if a country seems OK on the figures but we suspect that their data is dodgy, then it's going not going get Green status. The baseline is that each of the 250 territories in question is Amber, and countries will be pushed to Red or Green as we progress through 4 stages:
May 8, 2021, 9:58 am
#7584
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,553
In case you missed it - driving without stopping makes no difference this year, like it did last year.
If you are travelling to England in a private vehicle, the rules of the countries and territories you drive through apply. For example, if you drive through an amber list country, then you must follow the amber list rules when you arrive in England.
This applies whether you stop in the country or territory or not. You need to record the countries and territories you drive through on your passenger locator form.
This applies whether you stop in the country or territory or not. You need to record the countries and territories you drive through on your passenger locator form.
May 8, 2021, 10:14 am
#7585
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,479
The travel industry needs to start exerting a lot of pressure over the next 3-6 weeks.
May 8, 2021, 10:22 am
#7586
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club, SIA KrisFlyer, Qantas FF, Emirates Skywards
Posts: 1,850
Which just, to my mind, only adds to the feeling that the whole list is a complete sham, and that HMG has never had a single intention of allowing any sort of meaningful travel. This conveniently allows them to claim they are still keeping to their timetable without actually doing so in reality.
The travel industry needs to start exerting a lot of pressure over the next 3-6 weeks.
The travel industry needs to start exerting a lot of pressure over the next 3-6 weeks.
May 8, 2021, 10:25 am
#7587
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,034
I couldn't agree more. The travel industry is an afterthought at best to the government and the media. Soon it won't exist. Safe travel without risking our progress is possible, but HMG doesn't want that, won't bother doing anything and is making sure that it is as difficult and expensive as possible for anyone to travel anywhere.
May 8, 2021, 10:33 am
#7588
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: 63,838
You have described the vaccine effectiveness quite well, with some excellent data. The CDC in America and their EU counterparts have eased the rules for fully vaccinated people (in many aspects, not just travel). The UK has vaccinated close to 70% of adults, and yet, the government won't budge on allowing fully vaccinated people to do things more freely.
At what point do will the government actually say, yes the vaccines are clearly showing required efficacy in transmission, as well as reducing severe illness and hospitalisation?
At what point do will the government actually say, yes the vaccines are clearly showing required efficacy in transmission, as well as reducing severe illness and hospitalisation?
I think I will give you two reasons. Firstly, based on the above, it is still half the country not yet given a decent level of protection, and 80% of that half, so 40% of UK adults, have not had the virus. Given the carnage caused by this virus - which was terrible enough when only 20% of the UK has been infected so far - on one level you can see there are still too many people unprotected at this time. Luckily that potential number is fading by the day, the weather over the next week is going to squash the virus too, and the 50% protected is overwhelmingly the most vulnerable half.
But the main reason is sheer caution. I think it is the official line now that in addition to the amazing benefits that vaccines give that we knew about, it does indeed reduce transmission by just under half. This is likely to be an underestimate, since it was based on real world data, in turn based on those vaccinated and then tested. When someone catches the virus it's generally the case that the whole household catched the virus. A visiting relative passes the virus to a married couple, for example. So when the entire household - and then the extended family - is vaccinated the transmission figure will probably end up much better than half,.since the virus will have too many barriers.
Too many barriers - hang on to that one. Swiss cheese model again. It's better than the herd immunity idea, that was designed for cows and sheeps in fields and humans truly don't live like that. But put in enough barriers and that includes the weather and opening the window, then the virus will struggle to stay established. Are we there yet? Personally I think we probably are there, just about. In the next few days the rolling death rate in the UK will fall into single figures, which is beyond the wildest dreams of anyone working in the field, given that on 26 January 1,725 citizens died on a single day - we saw more deaths each and every hour than in a week now. These are not football score, it's real lives and real people taken well before their time.
So with caution in mind, in just over a week from now, much of daily live will return, as the stricter aspects of Lockdown finally end. Leicester has been in this state since July last year. In the weeks thereafter there should be further payback to a community that has embraced vaccines more comprehensively than we thought possible. And yes many of us working in this area believe that a vaccine dividend should be meaningful to everyone. One memory that sticks in my mind is on the day that pubs could reopen. There is a pub next to the racecourse building where I vaccinate people, and after finishing work and heading back to the car I see people sitting outdoors, enjoying a drink or two, their dogs trying to snaffle chips off the table, everyone looking happy. And that's why I turn up to work.
May 8, 2021, 10:34 am
#7589
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Earth
Posts: 912
corporate-wage-slave - one thing I'm confused on is why are vaccinated people not allowed to have more leniency. I've said before that possibly discrimination (as half of us are still yet to receive a dose) is a reason for no easing of restrictions - however, we are still being told (Jenny Haries last night) that we "don't yet have absolute clarity on the transmission risk".
You have described the vaccine effectiveness quite well, with some excellent data. The CDC in America and their EU counterparts have eased the rules for fully vaccinated people (in many aspects, not just travel). The UK has vaccinated close to 70% of adults, and yet, the government won't budge on allowing fully vaccinated people to do things more freely.
At what point do will the government actually say, yes the vaccines are clearly showing required efficacy in transmission, as well as reducing severe illness and hospitalisation?
Again, I'm no expert, but are we not approaching some level of herd immunity now, along with almost everyone above 50 & the vulnerable vaccinated that we should be easing more restrictions? Obviously my worry for the travel industry is clear, but I have seen 5 small businesses close down in my area in North London because they can no longer support their business. Are we not supposed to be following the 'data' not the 'dates'?
You have described the vaccine effectiveness quite well, with some excellent data. The CDC in America and their EU counterparts have eased the rules for fully vaccinated people (in many aspects, not just travel). The UK has vaccinated close to 70% of adults, and yet, the government won't budge on allowing fully vaccinated people to do things more freely.
At what point do will the government actually say, yes the vaccines are clearly showing required efficacy in transmission, as well as reducing severe illness and hospitalisation?
Again, I'm no expert, but are we not approaching some level of herd immunity now, along with almost everyone above 50 & the vulnerable vaccinated that we should be easing more restrictions? Obviously my worry for the travel industry is clear, but I have seen 5 small businesses close down in my area in North London because they can no longer support their business. Are we not supposed to be following the 'data' not the 'dates'?
Job losses, economic ruin and mental health issues are not in their calculus. As long as they are the predominant voice, this will never end.
May 8, 2021, 10:38 am
#7590
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,479
Consequently that needs to be a very large voice which strongly emphasises the economic hit. The country doesn’t seem ready to accept that argument though, so it’s not as straightforward as you might think from the outside.