Pay for a test, cut quarantine time

The difficulty is going to be finding somewhere to get the PCR test. The pharmacist Boots is going to be offering a 48 hour service, but this hasn’t started yet and there will only be in 20 stores across the U.K. initially. My closest store will be a 40 minute drive away. Friends in Devon’s closest store is a 4 hour drive away! The cost is c £120 pp. Booking one of these slots could be difficult if demand is high.

The government haven’t said what happens if you test positive. Also, many tests are inconclusive, which presumably means you need to pay for another test. And wait another 2 days for the results. In the meantime, quarantine means that you aren’t allowed to leave the garden of your accommodation even for exercise. Food will need to be delivered. Checks are being made and the breach penalties are high.

We wait to see on Thursday which areas are going to be placed in each of the 3 tiers, which will determine how much or how little will be open. We are all anticipating another lockdown in January as the isolation rules are being relaxed for Christmas, so the virus will start spreading rapidly. It’s still not the time for intercontinental travel.

Jennifer I believe you can have the tests sent to your address- we were going to do that earlier this summer before our travel plans fell through.

But I am wondering if this will really make big difference for people coming from abroad for recreational travel. 5-7 days of quarantine when you arrive in the UK is still a lot of time/money wasted if you don't live here or have family/friends to stay with. I don't think may RS travelers will take advantage of this. Or am i wrong? I'd be interested to know what people think.

or have family/friends to stay with.

then they have to quarantine too - so one person's problem becomes the whole family problem

This new wheeze is meant to make taking Christmas holidays easier - but more expensive - for Brits returning from those holidays, not to make it sort of easier for tourists coming here

This new wheeze is meant to make taking Christmas holidays easier -
but more expensive - for Brits returning from those holidays, not to
make it sort of easier for tourists coming here.

Its unfortunate that they didn't write the rules stating UK Citizens that ...... Cause the way it sounds, its a restricted invitation to all.

This is just a bandaid that is going to fall off.

So, technically, if you test negative you could cut the quarantine
time in half.

That's an improvement over the status quo, but the bottom line still is: what's the compelling argument to make an unnecessary trip in the first place and override CDC's and my local public health department's judgment to "stay put and stop the spread"? So you end up in England, you pass the quarantine hurdle and then what?....you're still at risk of Covid transmission in a country that hasn't handled it well (that's being charitable) and now is trying its best to save the Christmas season and lift the airlines (that's an economic argument, not a public health argument). The airlines need business travelers to come back more than anyone else - even a 5-7 day quarantine won't bring them back.

I am definitely not rushing off to England, but was very interested in this change. However, I was interested in Jennifer’s phrase “many tests are inconclusive”.

I have read about antigen tests having a number of false negatives; but I haven’t read anything about PCR tests returning inconclusive results, although I have also read that PCR tests can give false negatives under certain circumstances. However we either get a negative or a positive report (in my area). Is it common to get an inconclusive report in England from a PCR?

I just want to go to the UK to visit family. I am hoping this will cut down on the quarantine time needed while still being safe. I just plan to sit in my sister's garden away from the crowds of the North Essex/Suffolk border. It's just not the time for tourists to come back yet but those of us with family would like to see them at some point over the next few years. I have tickets for June 2021. That will be two years since I have seen my family members. I hope I don't have to stretch it to three years. That's why this is important.

Margaret

I was optimistic that the vaccine would be available in 2020 or early 2021 despite the "experts" prediction of 2023. I have faith that when humanity pulls together .... I am also optimistic that you will be able to see your relatives in the UK on or before June 2021. But only time will tell. Optimism isn't a bad thing. If those scientists weren't optimistic they wouldn't have had the drive to break so many dower expectations. So let's optimistic that the energy persists through distribution.

Heathrow for one is hoping to sell test kits in Arrivals shortly. BA and AA are trialling doing this too on some flights.

EDIT - an inconclusive PCR test is where not all of the RNA signatures being looked for are detected. In the covid-19 test I believe this is usually one out of two.

Stansted started doing it in departures yesterday if Look East (West) is to be believed, with arrivals starting from the 15th....

Nigel, I haven't heard or seen "Look East" for a while!

I am beginning to get more optimistic about my summer trip this June. Hoping the vaccine roll out for England goes well this Spring. Unfortunately, here in the middle of Missouri, we are in a COVID hot spot. I am staying at home as much as I can (besides work). My goal is to stay healthy to travel on Memorial Day.
Margaret