Lateral Flow Tests now accepted for England Day 2 testing

For those entering England, the rules have now changed on what sort of test you need – with Lateral Flow Tests being the order of the day.

Lateral Flow Tests. Now accepted for post-arrival test – Image, Economy Class and Beyond

The new rule change is for passengers who are fully vaccinated by authorities recognised by the UK Government and can provide evidence. This applies to countries that are not on the government red list.

Lateral flow tests must be taken as soon as possible on the day of arrival in England or at the latest before the end of a passenger’s second day and can now be purchased from the list of private providers on www.gov.uk from as little as £22 – depending on the provider

Different rules apply to different parts of the United Kingdom, so you should be aware if you’re the first port of entry or final destination is one of the below.

Lateral flow tests for international travel must be purchased from a private provider as NHS Test and Trace lateral flow tests cannot be used for international travel.

You can’t use these ones for international travel. Sorry.

Passengers who have already bought a PCR to use for travel do not need to buy another test as PCRs can still be used.

How it works

Passengers must take a photo of their lateral flow test and booking reference supplied by the private provider and send it back to them to verify the result. Passengers are also able to book a test which they can take on their arrival in England at testing centres located in some airports. People using PCR tests for travel will have their test reported by the company they purchase the test from.

Anyone testing positive will need to isolate and take a confirmatory PCR test, at no additional cost to the traveller, which can be genomically sequenced to help identify new variants. PCR tests can be accessed free of charge by ordering in the usual way through NHS Test and Trace – via www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.  Test providers will be expected to advise people to self-isolate and direct people towards the NHS Test and Trace booking page.

Passengers must send a photo of their test result to the private provider – failure to do so could result in a fine of £1000

What if you’re not vaccinated or vaccinated, but the UK Government does not recognise that authority?

Passengers who are not fully vaccinated with an authorised vaccine returning from a non-red destination must still take a pre-departure test (antigen / PCR), a PCR test on day 2 and day 8 test and complete 10 days self-isolation (with the option of doing Test to Release on day 5).

Will I need paperwork?

Yes. You will need evidence that you’re fully vaccinated by authorities recognised by the UK Government as well as completing a Passenger Locator Form.

In Quotes

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:

“I’m delighted that from today eligible travellers to England, who’ve had the life-saving COVID-19 vaccine can benefit from a cheaper lateral flow test, providing faster results.

“This huge boost to the travel industry and the public will make it easier and cheaper for people to book holidays and travel abroad, and it is it is because of our incredible vaccine programme that this is possible. Anyone who tests positive must take a PCR test, which, if positive, may be genomically sequenced to check for variants and further help us fight this virus.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, said:

“The change in rules for post-arrival tests will give passengers more options and faster results, just in time for many half-term holidays.

“It’s thanks to the success of our vaccination programme that we can make this switch – giving the industry and consumers a much-needed boost.”

Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said:

“Testing and self-isolating if you are positive remain crucial steps to managing the pandemic and stopping the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

“It is also critical that those who have positive Lateral Flow Tests when returning to England go on to get this checked through a NHS Test & Trace PCR. This way we can continue to monitor new variants and stay on top of the virus.

“Regular hand-washing, wearing face coverings in crowded spaces – including on transport – ventilating spaces and getting vaccinated are simple actions all of us can take to protect ourselves and those around us when we travel.”

Remember: the other home nations have different rules

The guidance above is for England only. Currently, Wales is planning to introduce this rule towards the end of next week (31st October). Meanwhile, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive are still deciding when to implement this guidance.

Check:

Cheaper tests, but planning needed still

Going from £69 to £22 or so for a test to the United Kingdom is a welcome thing – let’s not make any bones about it. Families will appreciate the reduced cost, as well as the lack of pre-departure testing required.

However, the government’s list is less than ideal. Hunt around before buying your packages and testing – in some cases – you can get tested at the airport straight away on arrival (Both Heathrow Terminal 5 and Birmingham Airport have Walk-in Express test sites that do LFT’s for £35 on-site – which is a little higher than the market cost, but it is done in person, and results are a mere 30 minutes away).

Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, featuring in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness as I only know how to deliver.

Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates! You can follow me on Instagram too!

Also remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.