I'm 2 weeks away from my RS Scotland tour and am trying to make my Plan B, C etc. If I test positive before the tour meeting, but showing no symptoms, do I just return home? Can I continue to travel through scotland independently? Will the guide help me make these decisions and help me through the covid requirements?
If I'm feeling unwell and test positive, at any time during the tour, same questions.
If my travel partner (we have separate rooms) comes down with covid, what should we do? I feel like we need to have these discussions now before we leave.
I have read many covid threads on the forum, but I'm still kind of fuzzy about it all.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2320 posts
This may be the idiot's question, but have youy asked RS for advice?
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8913 posts
If you test positive and can no longer be on the tour, you will have some decisions to make. You would need to be familiar with the expectations in Scotland for people who test positive in order to make those decisions.
I don’t think your guide is going to make arrangements for an independent tour for you, but would probably make sure you had immediate accommodations and connect you with travel insurance and the Rick Steves Tour office for further assistance,
Posted by
la la land...
1037 posts
If I test positive before the tour meeting, but showing no symptoms, do I just return home?
Return home, to the US from Scotland? Pretty sure that isn't going to happen...you won't be allowed to fly home until you go through the process, whatever that process is, in Scotland.
Posted by
The Heartland USA
9022 posts
Have you seen this section of FAQ? May address some of your questions. COVID & TOURS
The one thing I would expect is that the tour and the tour guide must go on as scheduled.
Posted by
Bend, OR
1082 posts
The UKUS Embassy has an online page explaining the requirements for Americans that test positive in the UK. You will not be able to just return home. The UK wants you to quarantine for 5 days. The US requires a document of Recovery and a copy of your positive test to fly home. You cannot get the Document of Recovery until after 10 days. This site will not let me post the link again for some reason. Please check the UKUS embassy site for accurate information rather than relying on other peoples opinions.
Posted by
Freedonia
16408 posts
I'm in Scotland right now and the attitude is......Covid will be with us for a long time, let's get on with life. You will see some masks in stores, but not that many.
The rules are simple. If you test positive for Covid, and you will have to do this at a private clinic or pharmacy, it is suggested that you stay home. There are no quarantine or isolation rules. (Much different than when I was here in December.) I don't know where the above poster got her information about quarantining but that's not what's on the US's UK Embassy webpage.
No one is going to stop you from doing anything a tourist would do, however, would you really want to be out and about infecting others?
As stated, you will have to take a test to get back to the USA.