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, Ł160, but same package sold directly bu Source Bioscience is just Ł120. 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 Ł18.99. 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]
Dec 20, 2021, 8:35 am
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
Can anyone tell me where the Omicron hotspots are in the UK? I'm going there tomorrow for a week. My biggest fear is getting a break through infection and having to stay 10 days. I'm triple moderna jabbed but that doesn't appear to help not getting it. My mom tells me London is a omicron hotspot but just hearing that alone I hired a car service instead of my usual tube-train route to Kent.
Ugh.
Ugh.
Regards
Dec 20, 2021, 8:40 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,998
If you were triple moderna jabbed would you feel somewhat comfortable about taking this trip?
Dec 20, 2021, 8:57 am
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
Dec 20, 2021, 8:59 am
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK (currently)
Programs: BA Gold (and many other greater and lesser distinctions)
Posts: 7,207
Can anyone tell me where the Omicron hotspots are in the UK? I'm going there tomorrow for a week. My biggest fear is getting a break through infection and having to stay 10 days. I'm triple moderna jabbed but that doesn't appear to help not getting it. My mom tells me London is a omicron hotspot but just hearing that alone I hired a car service instead of my usual tube-train route to Kent.
Ugh.
Ugh.
There was press coverage yesterday about horrendous outbound queues at Manchester airport for this very reason. According to those reports there was only one security desk open for the whole terminal and departure queues were hours long.
You also need to factor in how much worse things are going to get over the next 7 days and the near certainty that some fairly severe new restrictions on normal life (e.g. a ban on indoor hospitality) are going to be imposed this week, or immediately after Xmas.
If you don't want to catch Omicron, I would not presently be coming to the UK.
Last edited by Frequentflyer99; Dec 20, 2021 at 9:05 am
Dec 20, 2021, 9:02 am
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
I would suggest that you are as likely (if not more likely) to pick up Omicron passing through LHR as anywhere else. When the situation has in the past been as bad as it now is in the London area, UK Border force has had very significant short-staffing issues leading to the potential (when coupled with an unreliable e-passport-reader system) for very bad to quite horrendous non socially-distanced queues at immigration control. If you don't want to catch Omicron, I would not presently be coming to the UK.
Dec 20, 2021, 9:07 am
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
People just constantly yelling "freedom" and "we have to live our lives" and "what about all the other societal costs" just doesn't haven't anything at all to do with whether the human body becomes infected with a virus. Whether we agree or not, societies and countries all around the world have put restrictions and consequences in place for entering their borders. When you willingly choose to travel to those places, you are playing by their rules, not the rules you wish were in place. We are all welcome to make our own choices (and as I said, I do as well). But complaining about having to quarantine after testing positive, particularly when you know the risk and consequences going in, is like speeding on the highway for years then complaining when you get caught and have to pay the ticket.
Anyone traveling, particularly as frequently as many in this forum choose to, should not be surprised or caught off guard by the possibility of quarantine at this point in the game.
To directly answer your question original question, yes, I probably would make the trip, particularly if to see family (rather than just pure tourism). But, that said, I'm fully cognizant that at any time I (or my wife) could test positive while traveling and we are willing to bear that risk (both health and financial) and accept responsibility with the consequences that would come from that decision (including quarantine and even the necessity to obtain healthcare in the worst case scenario). At times when I've been unwilling to accept that risk, we simply cancelled.
Regards
Dec 20, 2021, 9:14 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,998
Well I have an N95 mask I will don at heathrow. I have as much protection as I can get. I’ve ready that moderna boostered people are fairly well protected
Dec 20, 2021, 9:16 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,998
I am triple jabbed, but comfort has absolutely nothing, whatsoever, to do with risk management. Being "comfortable" has absolutely no bearing on whether someone catches Covid and/or tests positive while traveling and is required to quarantine.
People just constantly yelling "freedom" and "we have to live our lives" and "what about all the other societal costs" just doesn't haven't anything at all to do with whether the human body becomes infected with a virus. Whether we agree or not, societies and countries all around the world have put restrictions and consequences in place for entering their borders. When you willingly choose to travel to those places, you are playing by their rules, not the rules you wish were in place. We are all welcome to make our own choices (and as I said, I do as well). But complaining about having to quarantine after testing positive, particularly when you know the risk and consequences going in, is like speeding on the highway for years then complaining when you get caught and have to pay the ticket.
Anyone traveling, particularly as frequently as many in this forum choose to, should not be surprised or caught off guard by the possibility of quarantine at this point in the game.
To directly answer your question original question, yes, I probably would make the trip, particularly if to see family (rather than just pure tourism). But, that said, I'm fully cognizant that at any time I (or my wife) could test positive while traveling and we are willing to bear that risk (both health and financial) and accept responsibility with the consequences that would come from that decision (including quarantine and even the necessity to obtain healthcare in the worst case scenario). At times when I've been unwilling to accept that risk, we simply cancelled.
Regards
People just constantly yelling "freedom" and "we have to live our lives" and "what about all the other societal costs" just doesn't haven't anything at all to do with whether the human body becomes infected with a virus. Whether we agree or not, societies and countries all around the world have put restrictions and consequences in place for entering their borders. When you willingly choose to travel to those places, you are playing by their rules, not the rules you wish were in place. We are all welcome to make our own choices (and as I said, I do as well). But complaining about having to quarantine after testing positive, particularly when you know the risk and consequences going in, is like speeding on the highway for years then complaining when you get caught and have to pay the ticket.
Anyone traveling, particularly as frequently as many in this forum choose to, should not be surprised or caught off guard by the possibility of quarantine at this point in the game.
To directly answer your question original question, yes, I probably would make the trip, particularly if to see family (rather than just pure tourism). But, that said, I'm fully cognizant that at any time I (or my wife) could test positive while traveling and we are willing to bear that risk (both health and financial) and accept responsibility with the consequences that would come from that decision (including quarantine and even the necessity to obtain healthcare in the worst case scenario). At times when I've been unwilling to accept that risk, we simply cancelled.
Regards
Dec 20, 2021, 9:22 am
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,652
Can anyone tell me where the Omicron hotspots are in the UK? I'm going there tomorrow for a week. My biggest fear is getting a break through infection and having to stay 10 days. I'm triple moderna jabbed but that doesn't appear to help not getting it. My mom tells me London is a omicron hotspot but just hearing that alone I hired a car service instead of my usual tube-train route to Kent.
Ugh.
Ugh.
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/deta...tive-map/cases
This covers all covid, but it is fair to assume omicron is now a large proportion of that. From tomorrow there will be a new scary colour for 1,600/100,000. Kent is not too good, but your part is one of the better bits at present.
Dec 20, 2021, 10:08 am
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: Delta Gold
Posts: 158
We made the decision to cancel our UK trip over Christmas due to the uncertain situation at the moment. However, we did book Day 2 tests a couple of weeks ago from HALO in anticipation of our planned (now cancelled) arrival on 12/25. Anyone know if we can use the PLF number and test on a future travel date? If so, do I need to contact the company before 12/25? Their website was unclear about this step.
Dec 20, 2021, 10:30 am
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 522
Dec 20, 2021, 10:39 am
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,652
We made the decision to cancel our UK trip over Christmas due to the uncertain situation at the moment. However, we did book Day 2 tests a couple of weeks ago from HALO in anticipation of our planned (now cancelled) arrival on 12/25. Anyone know if we can use the PLF number and test on a future travel date? If so, do I need to contact the company before 12/25? Their website was unclear about this step.
Dec 20, 2021, 10:59 am
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 710
Dec 20, 2021, 11:25 am
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: UAL 1P, Bonvoy Plat, Delta Silver Med, AA Gold
Posts: 154
Hi, I have been reading upthread but there does not appear to be a clear answer to a situation facing a friend: he is taking his daughter to the UK to start college in early Jan '22 and plans to stay for about 10 days. They are both US citizens and traveling directly from US. While both fully vaxed, my friend (but not his daughter) got a very mild case of Covid in mid-November. He has since been fully cleared by his doctor and has tested negative (rapid antigen) and positive (PCR). His doctor told him since the PCR test is very sensitive he may likely test positive using this type of test for awhile. But that puts him in a bit of a pickle in regards to his upcoming trip given the new rules for international travelers entering England. Can he avoid the day 2 PCR test or substitute a rapid antigen in lieu of recently having Covid? The obvious concern is that he continues to test positive despite no longer being infectious and having the attendant doctor's letter documenting his status. I note one of the links provided at the top of the thread indicates that anyone recently having Covid may opt for the Rapid Antigen test for entering the country. But no such language appears on the page discussing the day 2 test. Is he just out of of luck?
Dec 20, 2021, 12:08 pm
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,250
Has anyone used a Qured self-administered lateral flow for their return to U.K. test yet? Somewhat struggling to work out where I can find my unique kit ID and the Qured website is useless (it just says it will be in my confirmation email, which it isn’t…).