Why are most 3 hour ‘rapid PCR’ tests NOT valid for UK arrivals testing?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

• NickG says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:02

  Randox charged me around £60 for a same day PCR test (on-site testing at hotel on Bath Road/Heathrow). The result came back in 2 hours!

  Sorry to be so sceptical and as a rule I am a big fan of HfP, but this whole article just seems like an excuse to promote the £399 test from Regenerative Clinic.

  • Rob says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:12

    No, it is there to make a point and the ONLY reason I slotted it in at the last minute is that a reader flagged it in the comments last night.

    Have you read the article? Did you have your 2-hour test yesterday? If not, it WASN’T the same test as you now need because the result was not sequenced, which is now a Government requirement before the test result can be issued.

    In order to sequence a test you effectively need to shut down your testing line for a period which massively reduces the number you can handle.

• Paul says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:11

  I arrive into Edinburgh on Friday and I can’t find anywhere doing the PCR day 2 tests there. ExpressTest are the airport provider but are not setup for the day 2 arrival tests yet. I messaged them and they said they would offer as soon as they can!

  • Graeme says:

    1 Dec1 December 15:20

    Get the test delivered to the hotel or wherever else you will be staying. I have done this before – delivered to the Hilton Glasgow and it was ready for me to collect when I checked in.

• Polly says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:16

  Was hoping that LHR might have a 3 hr one up and running by next week, then only after arrival few hours in isolation. Was going to head to Dublin that day as transit, but Ire want a neg test now also. So that squashes that on the head. If we did manage to get a 3 hr express one done on arrival, then possibly get an RFS to Ireland later on that day. That PCR would then qualify for Ireland, l think?

  Dubious told me this morning that Singapore are bringing in even more stringent arrival testing now. With different isolation criteria. It’s probably their only way to contain it, if any cases show up. Presume

  BA will probably reduce their VTL flights now too, as only 86 on our flight out, Nov 18th. Expecting a date or time change notice any day from them. Meantime, still enjoying glorious Singapore, food heaven, as they say. Nice local Asian one near the W, regular customers now..lovely people.

  • Bill says:

    1 Dec1 December 07:41

    Paragraph 1 would mean you’re classes as transit passenger so English arrival testing rules go out the window. The issue becomes what Dublin wants you to do

  • Mark says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:42

    They already have. Our flight for early Feb cancelled with flights reduced to four 787-9s per week.

  • Sam G says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:51

    extra S$15 rapid tests on day 3 + 7 @Polly. so not too onerous (yet)

    • Polly says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:48

      Sam G. It’s getting the tests done, not the dosh, etc while you are on hols. And where they expect you to go for hem, or are they allowing self tests? Doubt it. Still a bit strict l would argue…

• Tim Rogers says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:22

  London datapoint: There are providers around ExCeL (I believe the Aloft) doing 3 hour tests. I know this because it’s World Aviation Festival this week there (an airline industry event!) and they’ve been touting these to attendees from abroad.

  • Polly says:

    1 Dec1 December 07:27

    Tnx, long trek for us tho fm lhr, but worth noting.

  • Rob says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:09

    Yes, you can get a (subsidised) £65 3-hour test today or tomorrow morning at the Novotel amongst other places.

• Gareth says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:25

  We are getting back from the US on 24 Dec and the hope was we’d get an express test in order to be free Christmas Day. Looks like this won’t happen. Any idea if labs will work Christmas Day to process ‘standard’ tests? Presume not.

  • Andrew says:

    1 Dec1 December 07:28

    Depends what your Christmas plans are – if you’re staying at someone’s house then you’re still free to do this, as long as you don’t leave that house until you get your results.

    • Gareth says:

      1 Dec1 December 07:43

      We’ve got people that are coming to stay with us and my son goes back to his Mother’s. Have a feeling my son can go direct home but he’s have to isolate there. Can our visitors join us in isolation? Logic would suggest yes but they would have to continue isolation with us if we’re positive (?).

      • Andrew says:

        1 Dec1 December 07:48

        If they were in residence when you arrive then fine, but day guests (unless providing you with personal care etc) are not permitted.

        • Gareth says:

          1 Dec1 December 08:26

          Yep agree.

      • Nick says:

        1 Dec1 December 08:11

        Logic doesn’t come into it…Isolation means isolation!

        • Scott says:

          1 Dec1 December 10:41

          Not for my neighbours. Popping in and out multiple times a day, various people coming around, one having driving lessons etc.
          No issues for them.

  • Simon says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:48

    Yes, ExpressTest labs will be operating on Christmas Day.

    • Gareth says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:41

      Thanks

• Michele says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:27

  This is ridiculous, especially as these firms sell a ‘3 hour arrival PCR test’. What is the point of this service if it’s not fit for purpose

  • Polly says:

    1 Dec1 December 07:30

    Well at least Collinson admitted their 3 hr PCRs don’t meet requirements. Do these ones at excel?

    Here’s hoping someone at LHR will agree a lab contract for sequencing in the next few days… hoping for a 3 hr one on Dec 8th at lhr…

  • Mememe says:

    1 Dec1 December 07:42

    Probably because they were OK previously. Doh

    • TGLoyalty says:

      1 Dec1 December 08:17

      Not sure what the target market was for this

      Vaccinated haven’t needed to isolate for a while so a quick PCR was a waste of £££ then later you just needed a cheaper LFT which takes c20 mins

      Unvaccinated needed a day 2 PCR but had to isolate for 10 days anyway so paying extra for a 3hr “day 2” test was a waste of time.

      • Rob says:

        1 Dec1 December 08:31

        The market was the OUTBOUND one, people who needed a PCR to get into their destination but couldn’t source one easily where they live given the 48-72 hour cut-offs in place. You turn up early at Heathrow and do it before you check-in. I believe there are some people outside London who do not have three private testing centres within 10 minutes walk of their house.

        • Mr(s) Entitled says:

          1 Dec1 December 08:55

          All my local testing centres in Cheshire closed in the Spring and have been converted to Pret’s. 😉

        • TGLoyalty says:

          1 Dec1 December 18:59

          Yup makes sense as a Fit to Fly but not day 2 arrival.

      • Polly says:

        1 Dec1 December 09:56

        TG L
        The likes of us going to Singapore, who had to have a fit to fly cert within 48 hrs of departure. So it would be tight doing a regular one, and hope it’s back on time. Combined with the need to complete the VTL paperwork, and submit it 24 hrs before departure. The 3 hr one was a godsend, even if it was £118 pp…

  • Polly says:

    1 Dec1 December 10:00

    Michele,

    They met the requirements to produce a fit to fly departure certificate, but now sequencing is needed for the new PCR, it doesn’t meet the standard.

    With what occurred with my test in Singapore, l would like to see my actual test results, to see if there were any markers indicating l was just negative or well negative…still waiting for their reply.

• TOBIAS L says:

  1 Dec1 December 09:19

  Why not just continue buying the £1 PCR test or whatever for the PLF code and be done with it? You can then do a PCR at home or an antigen test from the NHS and stop isolating once the negative result comes in?

  Appreciate it has only been one day, but is this not just like before that the worst that can happen is a phone call you can ignore?

  Also, for those righteous keyboard warriors about to jump in from their high horse, keep it to yourselves 🙂 No one cares except you, and you’re the only people restricting your already dim lives.

  • High Grade says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:24

    I really hope you get caught. I bet you’re the type of person that argues with security at the doors of a hospital when told to wear a mask.

    • Save East Coast Rewards says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:38

      Should people just obediently follow any silly old rules?

      • N says:

        1 Dec1 December 10:13

        Silly old rules? No.

        Rules that keep other people safe? Yes.

    • Dayle says:

      1 Dec1 December 10:02

      I bet you’re the type of person who wears one when you drive in your own car… on your own…

      • J says:

        1 Dec1 December 10:08

        😀

      • George says:

        1 Dec1 December 11:05

        And probably whilst walking in the street as well

    • Pablo says:

      1 Dec1 December 10:44

      Only way you can get caught is if someone grassed you up. Keep a low profile, no bragging on social media, tell everyone you’re just having a quiet weekend in with Netflix and you’re good to jet around Europe. Cheapest test on arrival and back to work on Monday. Highly unlikely anyone will check on you beyond a phone call.

      • Spurs drive me mad says:

        1 Dec1 December 10:48

        Best you don’t say on here then, you do know there’s a super grass lurking!

        • ankomonkey says:

          1 Dec1 December 12:17

          🙂

  • Dayle says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:31

    AFAIK, you’ll only get the PLF if you collect the test? Is there anywhere that you don’t need to collect? New business opportunity perhaps…

  • Numpty says:

    1 Dec1 December 11:34

    I recall when HfP was full of sensible posts. Oh well.

  • john says:

    1 Dec1 December 14:31

    They are doing visits too. Know of someone who has had one this week.

• Julian Power says:

  1 Dec1 December 09:25

  I don’t get the airports. They complain that they have not made the billions in profits that they deserve (which their customers are now expected to make up), yet they have done nothing to help themselves. Why has Heathrow not set up their own PCR lab on site that will do 2-3 hour arrival tests? It is the only way they can be sure visitors won’t cancel flights. They should even be doing this at cost / a loss to keep their business running. Maybe the uncertainty means they won’t invest but a few million here or there is all they need and is tiny compared to the losses they are making.

  • John says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:47

    They don’t need to do that because the customers will just continue to make up their losses forever

    • Polly says:

      1 Dec1 December 10:02

      Yes. With the £5 drop off and pick up fees, dosh rolling in!

  • Sam G says:

    1 Dec1 December 11:04

    I think the issue is currently that it could only be for three weeks. They likely can’t even do it much within 3 weeks so it could be a complete waste of time & money at a time when they’re already running at a huge loss. If the govt said now it’d be until March then for sure they’d be working with the providers to make it happen

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.