BREAKING: PCR tests scrapped from 24th October for those returning to England

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• Simon says:

  15 Oct15 October 01:34

  What’s the best value day2 test. Randox? I arrive in London on 23rd October, just before the change.

  • Doug says:

    15 Oct15 October 01:41

    Same here, but I’m willing to try those cheap self collect self swab, but can’t find anything cheap closer to London

    • Richmond_Surrey says:

      15 Oct15 October 06:54

      Biggin Hill Airport, collect self swab tests at the top of the list. G16 Corona or similar name.
      I have PCR tests from them already, so will use them.

      • Amy C says:

        15 Oct15 October 07:56

        Can’t find one related to Biggin Hill? Can you be more specific?

      • Amy C says:

        15 Oct15 October 07:58

        Forget that, found by google 🙂

        • Doug says:

          15 Oct15 October 11:17

          Well that is 55 not sure if I missed a code

  • VINZ says:

    15 Oct15 October 10:32

    Don’t buy anything and use an old code… nobody will check anything

• Andrew says:

  15 Oct15 October 05:07

  Why take a photo of the test – no one currently asks for your PCR result. Will there be a new final stage of the PLF where you upload the photo?

  • Barry cutters says:

    15 Oct15 October 07:37

    I’ve ‘used’ the same pace booking reference 5 times now.
    And the test is still
    Sitting in the box , I take it with me every time I travel in case they question it

  • YC says:

    15 Oct15 October 09:33

    I think they mean it needs to be a qured/chronomics type of test

  • Let's fly says:

    15 Oct15 October 09:46

    The lab upload your result currently so they’ll need to track the data I guess.

    Simplytestme.co.uk (who I used once for a return to UK Lateral flow) seems to be saying it’ll cost just £9… so we can wait and see if that holds true!

• Sammyj says:

  15 Oct15 October 05:59

  A picture won’t make the slightest bit of difference to that.

• Andrew says:

  15 Oct15 October 07:01

  Just in time for half term, except for those of us in Scotland who’s half term is the week before. I imagine Nicola will prevaricate on this for a week and then quietly acquiesce like last time. Just enough to attempt to maintain the moral high ground whilst not actually doing anything meaningful.

  We’re in the med just now and get back on 23rd so randox pcrs for us

  • Andrew says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:30

    That’s not true. Scotland doesn’t have a “half term” in October, it has a “tattie howking week” in October.

    Even then, the Scottish contingent are down visiting me this week, and back to school on the 18th.

• Mr(s) Entitled says:

  15 Oct15 October 07:40

  Has anyone encountered and found a solution to my situation?

  Travelling to Turkey for half term and my eldest daughter (13) has recently had Covid. She is likely to therefore to present as positive for her pre-departure PCR test (NHS recommends not to test for 90 days for this reason). The alternative of providing proof of natural immunity with a positive Covid result within the last 180 days would suffice but the NHS won’t provide a letter to anyone under the age of 16. It looks like a trip abroad for half term is therefore scuppered as she falls between two stools.

  With thousands of kids off school and half term approaching I’m wondering if anyone has found a solution?

  • Sean says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:15

    You don’t need a pre departure test any more. Just a day two test after arrival.

    • Mr(s) Entitled says:

      15 Oct15 October 08:49

      Lots of countries require a negative test, proof of vaccination or natural immunity for anyone aged 12 and above for admittance.

  • Tracey says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:20

    Chances of a positive PCR are small, though possible.

  • Anonymous says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:55

    Postal PCR from Randox or similar. Maybe you get mixed up and do two tests yourself and forget to do hers. Stupid solution to a flawed system.

  • Speedbird676 says:

    15 Oct15 October 09:44

    I flew six weeks after having Covid and tested negative on all three tests required for travel.

    The majority of people test negative very soon after the mandatory isolation period but there are edge cases that test positive for much longer.

    How long since she had Covid?

    • Mr(s) Entitled says:

      15 Oct15 October 09:58

      It will have been about 18-20 days depending upon when the test is taken.

  • Xavier says:

    15 Oct15 October 15:56

    I recently had a similar challenge with my nephew when we went to Poland. He is 14 and had Covid a few months ago. We managed to get a print out from his GP that confirmed a positive diagnosis, together with the original email from his NHS test confirming he had it. The Polish accepted this (there were 4 fully vaccinated adults in the party too). Not ideal but we made it work.

• ChrisC says:

  15 Oct15 October 07:53

  Coming soon to HfP 27 posts a day asking where to get the cheapest lateral flow test from.

  Will make a change from the 27 posts a day asking about PCR tests I suppose.

  • Andrew says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:32

    That’s only for repatriation though.

    There’ll still be plenty of countries who require you to have a PCR before you board.

• ChrisW says:

  15 Oct15 October 08:15

  Just use whatever test reference number on the PLF you used last time. No need to purchase a new test because noone checks or cares. I haven’t paid for a new test since June.

  • Tracey says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:20

    Risking a £1000 fine if they ever decide to look into this.

    • stevenhp1987 says:

      15 Oct15 October 09:27

      There are legitimate reasons this could occur though.

      The test could be delayed etc. causing you to use it for your next trip rather than seek a refund.

      • VINZ says:

        15 Oct15 October 10:33

        Exactly, because none of those money-making testing companies will offer a full refund anyway… Not worth it.

    • Dominic says:

      15 Oct15 October 11:07

      Suspect they may be pre-occupied chasing those that played the furlough scheme to worry about chasing people who may or may not have properly completed a pcr.

• Mr(s) Entitled says:

  15 Oct15 October 08:52

  Once the dust has settled and the Government needs to find cash this seems like an easy win. Just pay someone to scrub the data and hey presto, £1,000 for every duplicate found.

  • APPL says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:59

    I think they can only keep the data from PLF for 42 days.

  • Aliks says:

    15 Oct15 October 09:45

    This isnt a case of shady characters exploiting loopholes, while the rest of us are good citizens and follow the rules.

    The Day2 Day8 fiasco was a complete waste of time and money after the first few months. UK COVID rates were higher than other countries, so the risk of exporting COVID was higher than importing something back to the UK. Everyone had to get a negative test before getting onto the home bound plane, so the extra testing was only looking for people catching COVID on the plane, or in the melee at UK immigration.

    There was little or no quality control over the testing companies. Only summary results were reported to Track and Trace. Almost no positive samples were retested and sequenced. Track and Trace phone calls were utterly pointless. And to cap it all the cost of the tests in the UK was far higher than comparable tests in Europe.

    I can only assume the regime persisted so long because of bureaucratic inertia, and the commitments made to the pharmas and testing companies.

    • Lady London says:

      15 Oct15 October 11:13

      As per Aliks I can only assume this testing regime has been continued substituting a relatively inaccurate and useless test (as no gene sequencing for lateral flow) to keep ripping off the British public and anyone unfortunate enough to have to visit here, by prolonging the lining of the government’s and MP’s friends pockets.

      You couldn’t make it up. Why switch from a useful test to one that fails so much to detect actual Covid?

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