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UK arrivals - pre-departure, quarantine and post-arrival [currently no requirements]

Old Jun 4, 2020, 5:57 am
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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.

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)
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UK arrivals - pre-departure, quarantine and post-arrival [currently no requirements]

 
Old May 9, 2020, 2:22 am
  #76  
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It does sort of change the issue around airline refunds - effectively the flights will go, and you can come back to the UK, but you have to isolate for two weeks. A cost that many will not be able to pay in the current employment environment. So effectively, you are choosing not to fly because of the inconvenience on return. Hence, no refund due - it's a voluntary cancellation.
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Old May 9, 2020, 2:31 am
  #77  
 
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Originally Posted by lorcancoyle
Its the bluntness of whats being reported that irritates me at this stage. Greece has basically no local transmission now but parts of US are suffering, so why should they be treated the same. Just feels like a dog-whistle policy (dirty, diseased foreigners) rather than an evidence based policy at this stage.

(When youre doing a pretty good job locally, eg HK and Singapore, the blunt approach is fine because pretty much everybody is worse than you...)

ETA - and Ireland is supposedly exempt. Were doing a better job than UK (hard not to!) but in absolute terms a visitor from Germany, Greece or Denmark is no greater risk. Maybe its too much hassle to say the rules will apply slightly differently in GB vs. NI but surely easy to differentiate by type of arrival - sea / air / land?
Public health isnt absolute - its about mitigating the risks. For good historical reasons we have a common travel area with the Republic of Ireland, so I suspect that is why. I wonder whether restrictions will apply to Channel Islands / Isle of Man.
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Old May 9, 2020, 2:47 am
  #78  
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Unless they are proposing to escort returning travellers home then anyone who doesn't drive and park at the airport could be spreading the virus on public transport.

However it does mean that people intending to stay for longer periods could still come, for example my dad was considering coming to help out with my baby for a few months, and people planning to move to the UK wouldn't be excluded (obviously they haven't actually been excluded yet)

From what I have read the UK measures wouldn't apply to Ireland, which probably makes sense unless they do a Brexit-like deal where NI is isolated from GB.

Well it looks like my business travel plans of 1-2 day trips to various European countries within a short period are even less likely to happen now - was hopeful that they could happen in July/August
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Old May 9, 2020, 2:53 am
  #79  
 
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The BBC is reporting lorry drivers and people working in shipping industry would be exempt, What about pilots and cabin crew? would they be exempt, I came back from Venice at the beginning of March thats when it should have been done Starting at the end of this month, what is the point. This government becomes more inept by the day if that were possible
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Old May 9, 2020, 3:13 am
  #80  
 
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At this point, it'll do nothing but bury the airline industry, which was hanging on by a thread as it was.

It'll have little effect on the spread of the virus and it's bowing once again, to the court of public opinion.

I despair. It's like moving one step forward and taking a giant leap backwards
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Old May 9, 2020, 3:31 am
  #81  
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Originally Posted by Keiran Newberry
At this point, it'll do nothing but bury the airline industry, which was hanging on by a thread as it was.

It'll have little effect on the spread of the virus and it's bowing once again, to the court of public opinion.

I despair. It's like moving one step forward and taking a giant leap backwards
I’m supposed to set a good example and not go all OMNI, but it’s difficult to see beyond this. The UK has been pretty much out of step with the whole of the rest of the world (Belarus aside where they’re still playing football!) throughout and this seems to be just the latest bizarre example. Either we have a quite brilliant set of scientists who understand this better than anyone else, or there are other factors at play.

As has been said several times, if this turns out to be as draconian as reported UK plc will take a severe battering. One wonders, if this is political, whether it might change if the airlines kick up a massive stink this morning.
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Old May 9, 2020, 3:32 am
  #82  
 
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"Government and aviation sources told BBC News that the quarantine would mean people might be expected to provide an address when they arrive at the border."

I know we are still awaiting more details but this sounds like a pretty soft quarantine to me or perhaps it is merely theatre. Surely testing all people (including returning Brits) on arrival is the way to go like Austria are doing. Is it really that difficult to set up at LHR given that passenger numbers are way down? I read somewhere that BA's passenger numbers are 1% of what they normally are and much of that will be domestic travel within the UK.
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Old May 9, 2020, 3:47 am
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Did not see any reference to the massive number of connecting passengers, especially at LHR. Would connecting in the UK remain in tact? This would have a massive impact on BA and other airlines
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Old May 9, 2020, 3:59 am
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by Saint4805
"Government and aviation sources told BBC News that the quarantine would mean people might be expected to provide an address when they arrive at the border."
Didn't sound very soft if they are threatening 1k fines for not being at said address.

And there are a LOT of vigilantes these days ensuring compliance, so if the people around you - whether from social media, your neighbours noticing you are away etc - see you out and about and driving to work or a shop, there sure are a lot of people willing to 'turn you in' these days anyway.


Either way, I feel incredibly depressed about this news. Seems like pure populism to me, especially at a time when other countries are opening up and considering an increase in tourism. Our release of lockdown measures in the UK is already one of the slowest in all of Europe, and now while Lufthansa is announcing 60 new routes next month for Germans going abroad, we are closing up shop altogether.
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Old May 9, 2020, 3:59 am
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Originally Posted by Markie
It does sort of change the issue around airline refunds - effectively the flights will go, and you can come back to the UK, but you have to isolate for two weeks. A cost that many will not be able to pay in the current employment environment. So effectively, you are choosing not to fly because of the inconvenience on return. Hence, no refund due - it's a voluntary cancellation.
Sure, but surely under this scenario they just going to end up cancelling most routes anyway.
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Old May 9, 2020, 4:07 am
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Originally Posted by Dan1113
Didn't sound very soft if they are threatening 1k fines for not being at said address.

And there are a LOT of vigilantes these days ensuring compliance, so if the people around you - whether from social media, your neighbours noticing you are away etc - see you out and about and driving to work or a shop, there sure are a lot of people willing to 'turn you in' these days anyway.


Either way, I feel incredibly depressed about this news. Seems like pure populism to me, especially at a time when other countries are opening up and considering an increase in tourism. Our release of lockdown measures in the UK is already one of the slowest in all of Europe, and now while Lufthansa is announcing 60 new routes next month for Germans going abroad, we are closing up shop altogether.
Agree Dan1113 I was getting quite hopeful yesterday about having a July holiday somewhere after reading quite a lot of hopeful news and started looking at villas and now feeling very fed up again, let's hope it's just until the end of June say to fully nail the new cases.
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Old May 9, 2020, 4:12 am
  #87  
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Originally Posted by Doors Closing
Did not see any reference to the massive number of connecting passengers, especially at LHR. Would connecting in the UK remain in tact? This would have a massive impact on BA and other airlines
I am sure I read that they would be OK but I cannot find the reference at the moment.
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Old May 9, 2020, 4:15 am
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The fact that they're waiting until the end of the month to implement this makes it even more theatrical and pointless.
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Old May 9, 2020, 4:18 am
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Originally Posted by Schwann
The fact that they're waiting until the end of the month to implement this makes it even more theatrical and pointless.
Exactly how difficult is it especially if its just to get an address!!
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Old May 9, 2020, 4:29 am
  #90  
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Originally Posted by NWIFlyer
I’ Either we have a quite brilliant set of scientists who understand this better than anyone else, or there are other factors at play.
You may want to cast your eye on this piece of research via St. Andrews University (22 step thread, you have to click through):

Dr. Cevik's analysis essentially shows that generally speaking two thirds to three quarters of infections come via symptomatic patients spreading the disease to their partner, to their family and in health care settings. Casual contact, contact via door handles, supernarket squeeze passing, joggers - particularly if outdoors, particularly with asymptomatic cases - doesn't cause infection on any scale. Unforutnately our lockdown doesn't greatly help with those cases that are happening and it's not easy to resolve.. RIght now, in the UK, the majority of cases are heath care settings, if we include care homes. In other words community infection in the community is now very low., particularly in London When you have approximately 7,000 a day landing at Heathrow, even if 1% are symptomatic, way over a plausible level, having self solation as an added restriction makes no sense since 70 x R is statistically unmeasureable when N = 66 million. Dr. Cervik puts transport related infections at around 11%, so aviation would be tiny. But this is in a context when arriving travellers and the public are both suposed to be mainly staying at home and greatly reducing personal contact. Going forward, imagine a situation - for example early June - when the lockdown could be reduced, there won't be a presumption of staying at home, working from home, the context therefore changes and lockdown won't be the norm. Therefore with a low level of community infection as a baseline, even 70 x R becomes an issue and hence the suggestion that arriving passengers are treated differently. Or rather these passengers would continue to do what they are supposed to be doing now.

I hope this makes the logic clearer.
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