Oct 15, 2020, 6:45 pm
Local lockdowns in the UK
Apr 5, 2021, 1:01 am
#3361
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I know you can do this on the English system, there is a cancel option online. In a way they really should make it easy to cancel since there are a range of circumstances when you can't / shouldn't get a vaccine. So for example if you had a confirmed positive Covid test you need to steer clear of the vaccine for 4 weeks, to give one example of many.
Apr 5, 2021, 1:03 am
#3362
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If people have to test three times when travelling to green countries, what makes them green countries? Also, the need for testing before returning to the UK is risky because of the chances of testing positive while away on holiday and needing to isolate for 2 weeks in a foreign country. I would imagine that risk will put off a significant number of people from going anywhere.
Yes, that is exactly the point. The point being that if they are green the chances of transmission are low.
If one travel during a pandemic, one *must* consider the risk of testing positive while on holiday. One year later and there are still thoughts like that is despairing.
Apr 5, 2021, 1:15 am
#3363
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The Downing Street Briefing will be carried by BBC News and Sky News at 17:00 hrs today, it may displace Pointless on BBC One too.
Apr 5, 2021, 1:17 am
#3364
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Apr 5, 2021, 2:07 am
#3365
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I'm guessing that the reason for requiring a test upon return from a "green" country is that the risk of contracting covid at a holiday destination does not depend only upon the local infection and vaccination rates but also on the profile of other tourists there. No resort can be considered "safe" if visitors are going to be mixing and partying with others from high-risk countries.
I'm hoping that the list of permitted destinations will be very small at first, and the testing requirement very tough, and that international travel will be opened up as slowly and as cautiously as the general lockdown has been.
I'm hoping that the list of permitted destinations will be very small at first, and the testing requirement very tough, and that international travel will be opened up as slowly and as cautiously as the general lockdown has been.
Apr 5, 2021, 2:27 am
#3366
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..... the need for testing before returning to the UK is risky because of the chances of testing positive while away on holiday and needing to isolate for 2 weeks in a foreign country. I would imagine that risk will put off a significant number of people from going anywhere.
The testing facilitates travel by mitigating the public health risk.
Not in itself a bad thing.
Apr 5, 2021, 2:40 am
#3367
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Give most countries now require Covid tests on entry and most resorts have stringent sanitation requirements in place, I'd feel a lot safer in foreign resorts than in most of the UK's parks and beaches over the last couple of days.
Apr 5, 2021, 2:43 am
#3368
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Hi,
Usually if the Downing Street Brefing is on BBC one then Pointless moves to BBC 2 ( Flog it is then displaced). I actually quite like pointless ( some topics come up quite regularly like, Chemistry, Geography ( Flags and countries starting with ie A, C) or countries with more than 50m sheep ( ususally carribean or african countries score low)>
Regards
TBS
Apr 5, 2021, 3:35 am
#3369
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Why would you want this? This view is exactly what is going to kill off the travel industry. Are you in favour of millions losing work and livelihoods?
Apr 5, 2021, 3:42 am
#3370
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If you return home without being aware of the infection, won't this be caught by a test on arrival?
The test before you leave a country is 72 hours before you travel. So most people will get a test a day or two before they board a flight back to the UK, which leaves them with a day or two to get infected anyway. If you are spending 2 - 4 days away, you are likely to get a test in the middle of your stay and there is a good chance it won't pick up any infection you get on holiday. Furthermore, there are many tests that are not that accurate, or dodgy etc etc. So its not really mitigating any risk, unless you have a specified provider in each country and require passengers to test at the airport before departure.
Having to test on arrival in the UK is the best way. That way, there can be approved testing facilities that will hopefully be more accurate and done correctly. For extra measure, it would be best to then require a second test 5 days after you arrive in the UK.
The test before you leave a country is 72 hours before you travel. So most people will get a test a day or two before they board a flight back to the UK, which leaves them with a day or two to get infected anyway. If you are spending 2 - 4 days away, you are likely to get a test in the middle of your stay and there is a good chance it won't pick up any infection you get on holiday. Furthermore, there are many tests that are not that accurate, or dodgy etc etc. So its not really mitigating any risk, unless you have a specified provider in each country and require passengers to test at the airport before departure.
Having to test on arrival in the UK is the best way. That way, there can be approved testing facilities that will hopefully be more accurate and done correctly. For extra measure, it would be best to then require a second test 5 days after you arrive in the UK.
Apr 5, 2021, 3:44 am
#3371
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Hi,
Usually if the Downing Street Brefing is on BBC one then Pointless moves to BBC 2 ( Flog it is then displaced). I actually quite like pointless ( some topics come up quite regularly like, Chemistry, Geography ( Flags and countries starting with ie A, C) or countries with more than 50m sheep ( ususally carribean or african countries score low)>
Regards
TBS
Usually if the Downing Street Brefing is on BBC one then Pointless moves to BBC 2 ( Flog it is then displaced). I actually quite like pointless ( some topics come up quite regularly like, Chemistry, Geography ( Flags and countries starting with ie A, C) or countries with more than 50m sheep ( ususally carribean or african countries score low)>
Regards
TBS
Apr 5, 2021, 4:10 am
#3373
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I went on holiday to Cyprus in October, had to get tested before I went, was tested on arrival, etc. It was hardly a big deal. Wore masks inside. Hardly a big deal for the privilege to be able to travel.
Apr 5, 2021, 4:14 am
#3374
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So how good are these lateral flow tests in reality? I’m seeing a lot of contradictory b******s on the internet.
Apr 5, 2021, 4:23 am
#3375
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Testing on arrival (only) raises the sensitive issue of what to do with visitors to the UK who test positive: do we give them a ticket for the next flight home, or send them to hospital? With the departure test we can get the airlines to police the system and avoid the issue.
I guess we could exempt returning Common Travel Area passport-holders from a pre-departure regime. But that might get messy.