VSLover

agree with the disagree here.

the incredibly small percentage being sequenced combined with lack of pricing controls makes the entire PCR regime ridiculous. pre-flight test, ok fine, but post arrival? as someone mentioned in a separate thread the PCR is being required so the govt can sequence but they are only doing a small percent so why are they not paying? post arrival lateral flow and off to NHS if you test positive. and the govt should fund that for residents again only if needed.

lhrsfo

I didn't say that £65 for a PCR test and a lateral flow test was correct pricing (although I haven't a clue what correct pricing is - I do know it's not zero), but I simply said that £65 is affordable to nearly everyone, and most especially those who are travelling for reasons other than holiday. It's a tiny fraction of the cost of a business trip and small beer in the context of a family visit.

Maybe I'm unusual but my experience to date of test providers (three return trips) has been excellent in terms of service - delivery of kits and results - and, certainly since prices have more than halved, it doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Private provision of medical services and procedures is not free and it's a political decision which HMG has made that tests for travel should be paid for out of pocket rather than by fellow citizens. Of course I'd like it to be free, but then I'd like them to abolish APD (which is an awful lot more expensive for much travel, and which has zero benefit for the traveller), and I don't see the populist press going for that.

13901

I don't know. £65 (which in my experience, once you factor the test before you fly and the day 2, is more like £75-80) times 4 people is £260. That's a lot of small beers, especially for people coming in from overseas. But perhaps this is part of the grand plan: don't let them foreigners in here.

adrianlondon

I read it online (just disable javascript) and it appears to change very little.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...ed-next-month/

Green and Amber are currently the same for vaccinated, and the plan is simply to have two lists. Red and Not Red. No change to the vaccinated but there might be a change to the unvaccinated in that all current G and A countries might require home isolation for them.

The article also says that the Day 2 PCR tests are likely to stay.

Internaut

The Day 2 PCR test, and the uncertainty is represents, is going to remain a sticking point for a lot of prospective travelers. I'm not sure if anything can be done about that - my own brush with COVID certainly underlines the responsibility that comes with carrying the infection (isolation ends in 33 hours and five minutes).

ahmetdouas

I'm down to 50 GBP for pre arrival + day 2 arrivals tax.

adrianlondon

How are you doing that without Expert Medicals, which now appears dead / struck-off?

ahmetdouas

still using them. who said they are dead/struck off? https://www.expert-medicals.co.uk/co...ons/navigation still looks legit to me!

cauchy

Out of curiosity, are you still lateral flow positive?

The problem with the Day 2 test seems to be that it hoovers up a significant number of historical Covid infections - for example, if your Covid was asymptomatic you might have been stung with 10-day isolation after returning from a late September trip, essentially in isolation in October for an infection contracted in August.

DaveS

Not being on the list does not mean they cannot offer the service, so long as they meet the minimum standards laid down by the government.

ahmetdouas

perfect. All i need is a legit PLF code and proof of having ‘bought’ it. Other than that the cheaper the better

DaveS

The BBC are now reporting the Telegraph story mentioned earlier with a bit more information:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58491245

adrianlondon

I tried to buy one for my recent trip but the website wouldn't process the form. A few posts here have said the same thing over the last few days.

I ended up with Randox, but I'll keep trying EM for my next trip.

DaveS

Daily data:

Cases 38,975 (35,693 last Wednesday)
Deaths 191 (207)
Patients admitted 933 (848 on the 28th)
Patients in hospital 7,907 (7,629 on the 31st)
Patients in ventilation beds 1,047 (1,014 on the 31st)
People vaccinated up to and including 7 September2021:
First dose: 48,319,435
Second dose: 43,620,946

The rolling seven day daily average for cases is now up 15.3% on the previous week and the same measure for deaths is up 26.1%. The rolling 7 day daily average for deaths is 133.1 today.

PxC

Would it be safe to assume I’ll be ok to travel to travel LHR-MEX in 3 weeks for leisure purposes? Coming back from the US.