corporate-wage-slave

March??? You would be fine with a PCR at that point. In fact technically they are in scope for getting a second infection with that timeline. But yes, a few Lateral Flows late February will tell you what to do. If they are over 18 then they should get a booster in 28 days if they have not already done so. That's the best way to avoid the second rapid infection from what we are seeing. Because of those timelines, you want to travel on the basis of being recently tested as negative and not having the virus, rather than relying on something that happened sometime back.

revan

I find myself in the same boat - however I'm due to fly back to the US next Thursday, and tested positive last Thursday.

Would be keen to hear any recommendations for a certificate of recovery in London, as the antigen test might be a bit risky this late in the game!

chessy

I haven’t tried this provider but found them when I was in the US

https://quick.md/documentation-of-recovery

The cdc website also implies that a sick note outlining return to work would also be sufficient - assuming you had a letter for your employer if you took
sick leave.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...travelers.html

A letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that clears you to end isolation, e.g., to return to work or school, can be used to show you are cleared to travel, even if travel isn’t specifically mentioned in the letter. The letter must have information that identifies you personally (e.g., name and date of birth) that matches the personal identifiers on your passport or other travel documents. The letter must be signed and dated on official letterhead that contains the name, address, and phone number of the healthcare provider or public health official who signed the letter.

squeeler

This is a most timely thread for me. We both flipped LFTs yesterday (mildly poorly) and have been for PCRs, which I fully expect to be positive. We are due to fly to the US in 14 days and had planned to visit Mr Randox for LFT the day before departure. @c-w-s - you seem to be wise on the ways of these things. Is this risky or are we better off trying to get a “recovered” letter from our GP? Has anyone managed to get such a letter?
Thanks in anticipation.

chessy

Just to also point out although the US allows proof of recovery letter to enter, the UK (as far as I see does not). So currently you would need to test negative before being allowed to board a flight to the UK. There are plenty of stories of folks being turned away at check in because they didn’t test correctly (mainly
didnt have a lab certificate) and VeriFLY only allows you to submit a test result not proof of recovery.

i couldn’t really find anything on how the UK deals
if you test positive abroad, since re introducing pre
flight testing.

xenole

I've mentioned before that I tested positive with a rapid antigen test on the 31st Oct. Took a PCR same day and that came back positive next day as well.

Did my 10 days isolation with minor symptoms (little bit of a sore head, but wasn't sure if that was from eye strain as I was using my phone a lot and sitting in rooms with harsh strip lighting. Also lost some of my sense of taste for a few days).

Took a antigen test at a test centre on the 26th Oct for a trip to the US and that came back negative.
Further antigen tests / lateral flows and PCR tests since then have all come back negative.

Not to say someone else might test positive within 90 days of their initial positive result, but there's always a chance things might work out.

Play around with some of the free NHS tests first. If they come back negative, then there's a chance a test for travel may do as well.

No idea if recovery letters would be accepted, assuming you could find someone to supply one. I wouldn't want to turn up at the airport and get refused travel due to someone following policy, making their own policy up or whatever.
Can't say I've heard of anyone flying with one yet.

corporate-wage-slave

If it's Omicron, and if you are in the London area it almost certainly is Omicron, then I would expect a Lateral Flow to be negative at 14 days. The free NHS lateral flow devices is a very popular type, used by many companies including Randox, so I would try this out a few times (a) to see how your symptoms evolve and (b) to provide reassurance that the recovery certificate isn't needed. Private GPs tend to offer this at 24 or 48 hour notice, so you can plan around that if Plan B is needed. It is unlikely your NHS GP will do this.

catwood

Just to add to this, after 8 days of PCR positive my friend went to PCR negative so maybe nothing to worry about.

Ajm1987

Hi all, hope nobody minds me hijacking this thread slightly but it seemed the most relevant from my searches.

​​​​​My friend and I are due to travel to the US on the 8th, less than 48 hours time from now. He got covid symptoms on Dec 28th but didn't get a PCR test until 2nd Jan. The PCR came back positive and he is now testing positive on LFDs. He however legally finishes his isolation on 7th January.

I suspect he won't be able to get the NHS proof of recovery in time for travel on the 8th in any case but, on the slim chance he can, I have two questions:

1) Is the proof of recovery valid for 10 days from date of symptoms or the date of the test, noting if the latter it won't do him any good anyway

2) If it was from date of symptoms and shows him to be recovered, is the NHS covid pass sufficient in isolation or does he also need a signed letter from a private doctor?

Many thanks for your help - think the trip is unsalvageable but want to make sure we've tried everything!

Thanks
Ajm
​

bluemoon68

surely the easiest would be a negative LFT in the immediate hours before travel. The online providers would do certificates within minutes. The question is also whether he downloaded his vaccine proof before he contracted covid.

Ajm1987

Oh absolutely, and we were crossing our fingers for that. But unfortunately no he did not download his proof of vaccination and from other reading I've just been doing it does seem that the covid pass won't be available for some time after the end of the isolation period. So unlikely we'll have either proof of vaccination (which would require a negative lat flow we likely won't have in any ase as he is still testing positive today) or proof of covid recovery in time. I think it's a lost cause unfortunately, thanks anyway for your response.

hugolover

No NHS recovery cert without a vaccination then?

Quite the opposite to the way the EU setup theirs. Vax, recovery and test are the three records that can be stored in the EU Digital Covid Certificate.

corporate-wage-slave

There are several ways to get a Covid pass if unvaccinated, and that includes recent infection. Not many people appear to use it. There is even a mechanism for using the MAT B1 certificate if pregnant to act as a COVID pass (and I bet that's hardly ever used) even though pregnancy is a strong reason to get vaccinated. The conditions are broadly similar to the EU scheme, not least because there is a reciprocity agrement between the various UK Covid pass schemes (all 9 of them) and the EU's scheme.

hugolover

I see. Will it be necessary to do a PCR from 11 JAN to get a recovery certificate if you're asymptomatic or will the LFT be enough to trigger the recovery certificate?

corporate-wage-slave

I've been told that the Lateral Flow registration will trigger the Covid pass for those on the NHS App with asymptomatic infection, though that seems implausible to me. It keeps the workload down on Belgrade's doctors, I suppose. It is supposed to be a temporary measure so that's one reason not to change it over, at the moment it needs an NHST&T PCR. Note that the vaccination requirement stil applies to UK Arrivals, regardless of Recovery status, so they get the full 5 (England only after PCR) or 10 day self isolation treatment.