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One test, for both UK entry and US pre-departure (or France 72hr pass)?

Curious if anyone has any experience with this -

Being fully vaccinated, I'll be taking covid test <2 days after flying in to London from the US. Most providers seem to offer this Day 2 test as an "at-home" kit that ships to your address in England (which, in my case, would be the hotel I'd be staying at I suppose). Further, most testing providers distinguish between post-entry Day 2 tests and pre-departure "fit to fly" tests when traveling to other countries from the UK such as the kind of test we'll have to take to board our flight back home to the US.

Because of the timing of my trip, though, and in the interests of making this as cheap and as easy as possible, I could conceivably take my Day 2 test for entry in the UK and have that same test, so long as the results of it yield a QR code that is compatible with France's system, work to get my Pass Sanitaire for when we take the Eurostar from London to Paris. While we're fully vaccinated + boostered, because of all the confusion and uncertainty over how to use your US vaccination credentials for a Pass Sanitaire, there's some appeal in going the testing route for the French pass.

After spending a few days in Paris, we're taking the train back to London. At that point, we'll need another Day 2 test. Again, because of timing, this new Day 2 test could conceivably also serve as the test we use to board our flight to return to the US a few days later. An at-home test wouldn't really work because the US requires it be proctored, but an in-person Day 2 test could conceivably generate paper proof that we could then present to board our flight from LHR to LAX.

So my question is... has anyone tried 2-birds/1-stone-ing the tests like this (obviously it's only doable if the timing were to make it possible)? Would the email you get saying your Day 2 test was negative also work to board a plane ot the US a couple days later Further, anyone done an in-person Day 2 test in England?

Ultimately I'm not too worried either way, as lateral flow antigen tests are so cheap and easy to get and it's not the end of the world to take 30mins out of my day to wander in to a Boots for a pre-departure test, or even get one at the pharmacy in Gare du Nord in Paris once there. But again, if I could streamline the process that'd be ideal!

(I should add, I suppose I could book our Day 2 tests in-person ahead of time, while also placing an order for and making an appointment for pre-departure tests at the same time and same location. Suck it up and pay for both, which would not cost much more at all. Then be fully squared away for 4 tests in what amounts to 2 actual visits to the pharmacy)

Posted by
31 posts

I am considering the same. Arriving into London from Ireland, staying 5 nights so day 2 = 3 day prior to departure for US for us as well. Staying in an Airbnb so asking our host where to get tested, assuming they've been asked and know a site nearby. We go in December and seems unlikely testing requirements will change for either now that we're less than 30 days out

Posted by
492 posts

Christi - Yeah your day overlaps are similar to ours. We arrive in London, then take the train to Paris 4days later. Then we return to London from Paris, and fly back to the US 5 days later.

Even if one test can't work for 2 purposes, at least they are much cheaper now! With the lateral flow antigen tests valid for vaccinated travelers, we'd be looking at around $25 or so for a Day 2, then maybe $30-$35 for a separate pre-departure. ~$60 for both tests is far more appealing than the ~$150 it might have taken when PCR was required!