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Arriving England Covid-19 Day 2 test

Certainly seem to be some ripoff merchants about.
Indeed. Probably the same chancers that piled into solar panel installation a decade or so ago and piled out again when the government subsidies were cut. Some of the company names don’t inspire confidence either, especially those like ‘00001AAAA Eezitests’ with a non-geographical phone number. Nor do some of the websites, with their grammatical errors, copying and pasting and out of date information.
 
me neither

It's not just the UK. To visit family in the UK I would have to get a test 72 hours before departing, then a day 2 test in the UK, then another test 72 hours before returning to the US. That's going to be around $300 per person traveling, and if any come up positive, or the results don't come back in time we could face considerable cost and inconvenience. As far as I am concerned international non-essential travel is simply not viable, and the vaccines have made absolutely no difference to the situation.
 
It's not just the UK. To visit family in the UK I would have to get a test 72 hours before departing, then a day 2 test in the UK, then another test 72 hours before returning to the US. That's going to be around $300 per person traveling, and if any come up positive, or the results don't come back in time we could face considerable cost and inconvenience. As far as I am concerned international non-essential travel is simply not viable, and the vaccines have made absolutely no difference to the situation.
I was determined to go to France in July if permitted - at the time four tests were necessary in total for a double-jabbed vaccinee, one outgoing and three incoming. At the time I thought I was looking in excess of £200, but as it transpired things cost a lot less. Outward LFT £33, Inward LFT (French pharmacy) 25€, two PCRs on return (struck lucky, found a special offer) £15 total. So about £70, plus say £20 in fuel as I had to make a return journey to Heathrow for my second PCR. But well under £100 - and now the outgoing LFT isn’t required anymore. So yes, it’s a nuisance and an annoying rip-off - but I wouldn’t say prohibitive.
 
It's not just the UK. To visit family in the UK I would have to get a test 72 hours before departing, then a day 2 test in the UK, then another test 72 hours before returning to the US. That's going to be around $300 per person traveling, and if any come up positive, or the results don't come back in time we could face considerable cost and inconvenience. As far as I am concerned international non-essential travel is simply not viable, and the vaccines have made absolutely no difference to the situation.
It’s looking like to the two tests required to enter the UK (pre-flight and day 2) will run about $100 total. To be fair, the vaccine has made a massive difference for me - no 10 day quarantine requirement or day 8 test. To me it’s worth it but my trip is for work not vacation.
 
It’s looking like to the two tests required to enter the UK (pre-flight and day 2) will run about $100 total. To be fair, the vaccine has made a massive difference for me - no 10 day quarantine requirement or day 8 test. To me it’s worth it but my trip is for work not vacation.

Thanks - there's a place near me in the US that does PCR tests for $80 and it looks like the Qured day 2 test is £70.

you do need another PCR test to re-enter the states, within 72 hours of your return flight - I presume you could reuse the day2 test if your visit to the UK was not longer than 4 to 5 days.
 
Thanks - there's a place near me in the US that does PCR tests for $80 and it looks like the Qured day 2 test is £70.

you do need another PCR test to re-enter the states, within 72 hours of your return flight - I presume you could reuse the day2 test if your visit to the UK was not longer than 4 to 5 days.

If you want a test for departing the US, the cost of the Qured is $53 shipped to your US address (so definitely worth it if you are ordering more than one). I could get a free local drive through test but the ones I have take so far have varied between 2 and 3 days for getting the results, so I have the Qured to be sure I get a result before I depart.

Good to know about the PCR requirement on return - I’ll be there for a month, so was going to cross that bridge when I came to it.
 
Hello all,

Has anyone recently used one of the GOV.UK suggested providers for a day 2 test after arriving in the UK? How was it? Would you recommend it? The first one recommended on the list is a home kit from expert-medicals.co.uk for £28. The additional s has me worried ;-)

cheers,

Dan

We came in from the US last week and used CTM which was I think the only approver provider for Scotland. They were costly but their phone support was great as the on line registration once you receive your kit on the UK is very confusing
Also the 2 day test can be taken as soon as you have the kit, but must be taken before day 2.
 
The whole testing regime for the UK is a total cluster. Our trip over for 3 outgoing to the UK and 2 returning will cost is close to $800 in test fees. And that's coming from California that has way lower instances than the UK.
 
prices are crashing down finally. My first one cost 240 quid at the beginning of this year. biogroup, from france. they didn't even send it, so i reported them to the government

down to 20 quid here:
https://www.travel19.co.uk/day-2-8

i look forward to seeing all these companies go bust asap.
 
If you want a test for departing the US, the cost of the Qured is $53 shipped to your US address (so definitely worth it if you are ordering more than one). I could get a free local drive through test but the ones I have take so far have varied between 2 and 3 days for getting the results, so I have the Qured to be sure I get a result before I depart.

Good to know about the PCR requirement on return - I’ll be there for a month, so was going to cross that bridge when I came to it.

On the Qured website it says their antigen test can be used for re-entry to the US - I'd double check with them, though.
 
If you can organise an onsite test (eg at the place I mentioned previously near Heathrow Airport - I won’t give the name again lest you think I’m paid by them) it’s a load cheaper than getting them sent out to you. No idea why, I would have expected it to be the other way round.
 
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Also the 2 day test can be taken as soon as you have the kit, but must be taken before day 2.
Wait, now this is really confusing - I have to take the day 2 test before day 2?! It’s even more confusing if you are departing the US on one day and arriving the next in the UK. Does day 0 start the UK time of the departure or arrival? It would make little sense to make it the depature local time. Can I simply get off the plane and take my day 2 test then and there?

edit: gov.uk: must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 after you arrive - arrival day is day 0. So, e.g., landing on a Monday means need to take a test by end of Wednesday.
 
Wait, now this is really confusing - I have to take the day 2 test before day 2?! It’s even more confusing if you are departing the US on one day and arriving the next in the UK. Does day 0 start the UK time of the departure or arrival? It would make little sense to make it the depature local time. Can I simply get off the plane and take my day 2 test then and there?
‘The day you arrive is Day 0’ according to the gov.uk website, so I’m guessing it begins at 0001 UK time on that day. But yes, you can take your day 2 test as soon as you like after arrival, as long as it is before the end of day 2. I took mine on the drive home, about three hours after arriving in the UK.
 
‘The day you arrive is Day 0’ according to the gov.uk website, so I’m guessing it begins at 0001 UK time on that day. But yes, you can take your day 2 test as soon as you like after arrival, as long as it is before the end of day 2. I took mine on the drive home, about three hours after arriving in the UK.
Thanks. That seems more reasonable. Tempting to book one at the Marriot at Heathrow and get it done on Day 0.
 
‘The day you arrive is Day 0’ according to the gov.uk website, so I’m guessing it begins at 0001 UK time on that day. But yes, you can take your day 2 test as soon as you like after arrival, as long as it is before the end of day 2. I took mine on the drive home, about three hours after arriving in the UK.
How did you get it? It looks like I must order online to get a number to enter into the travel locator form?
 
In
That’s what I did.
Right, so from arriving on the plane to getting home, how did you manage to do it? Online purchases meaning they deliver the kit somewhere or give you an appointment somewhere and you have to get the kit or turn up for the appointment on your journey home. I can't imagine successfully booking an appointment conveniently just off the M62 on the way home.
 
I can't imagine successfully booking an appointment conveniently just off the M62 on the way home.
Substitute M25 for M62 and you’ve got it. I looked through the list of providers and found a special offer price near Heathrow. Booked an appointment online while in France and received confirmation by email together with a reference number that I put on my PLF. Then I came back via the tunnel, drove from Folkestone to Heathrow (about two miles off my normal route), took my test and continued home to Warwickshire. The result was waiting in my email the following morning.
 
Substitute M25 for M62 and you’ve got it. I looked through the list of providers and found a special offer price near Heathrow. Booked an appointment online while in France and received confirmation by email together with a reference number that I put on my PLF. Then I came back via the tunnel, drove from Folkestone to Heathrow (about two miles off my normal route), took my test and continued home to Warwickshire. The result was waiting in my email the following morning.
Lol.
Thanks for the clarification.

I've just typed in a ref number from an old kit i never used on the travel locator form and it worked. Funny, I already punched that ref number in once earlier this year.
 


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