Do I Need Covid Test To Travel? How Much Will It Cost?

If you are gearing up for the potential relaxation of rules from 17th May to allow international travel you are probably wondering if you need a covid test to travel and if so, what type and how much it will cost? In short, yes you will probably need a test! For the foreseeable future, it’s likely that all countries will require some form of proof that you have either been vaccinated against COVID, have anti-bodies from COVID or have a negative COVID test. With that let’s look at some of the COVID test options you have…

What sort of COVID test to travel will I require?

This depends massively on the destination you are going to. Each country will have its own entry requirements so it’s important you do your own research as the rules are changing frequently. One of the best resources for this is the foreign travel advice page on the Government website. Here you can search for your destination and then look at the entry requirements.

Do I need a COVID test when arriving back in the UK?

Yes, all passengers returning to England will be required to show a negative test in order to board their flight and gain entry to the UK. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had the vaccine or if you live in the UK, the same rules apply! The Government website states:

The test must meet performance standards of ≥97% specificity, ≥80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml.

This could include tests such as:

• a nucleic acid test, including a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or derivative technologies, including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests
• an antigen test, such as a test from a lateral flow device

Test results must include your name (as on your passport), your date of birth or age, the result of the test, the date the sample was collected or received by the test provider, the name of the test provider and contact details and confirmation of the device used for the test, or that the test was a PCR test.

Failure to test or provide a test with all the information mentioned above can mean you are denied boarding or if you arrive in England can result in a £500 fine.

The traffic light system

The traffic light system used previously will be back in force once international travel resumes with countries split into green, amber, and red. Depending on what country you arrive from you may only need a negative test or be required to quarantine in a hotel.

Green

If you arrive from a green country you will not be required to quarantine for 10 days but you will need 2 tests. The first must be done pre-departure back to the UK as mentioned above and can be a PCR test or LFT. The second test must be a PCR test and must be taken on or before day two of their arrival back into England.

Amber

If you arrive from an amber country you will need to quarantine for 10 days at home or other secure location. You will need a negative test pre-departure back to the UK as mentioned above. In addition to this prior to your travel you are required to book a testing package to take two additional COVID-19 tests during your quarantine — one on day two and one on day eight.

From an amber country you also have the ability to take part in the Test to release scheme which allows you to leave quarantine early. If you take part, on day 5 you can take a private test, if it’s negative you are then released from quarantine. You are however still required to take the test on day eight. Test to release is an additional cost to the testing package mentioned above.

You can view Government approved providers for the above services here – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing

Red

Only UK nationals or residents will be allowed in from Red countries. In addition to the pre-departure test that we mentioned earlier, you are required to quarantine in a government-approved hotel. This starts at a huge £1750 per single traveler & includes the mandatory tests on days 2 & 8 of quarantine. You will also need to pre-book your quarantine hotel online before travel – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/booking-and-staying-in-a-quarantine-hotel-when-you-arrive-in-england

What colour will my destination be in?

The Government has suggested we will find out more about what country is in what colour in early May. Unfortunately there are no further details yet so keep an eye out!

What’s the best COVID test to have?

You would need to do your own independent research into which one you want to take. PCR tests are seen as the ‘gold standard’ but they are more costly and potentially more difficult to obtain abroad. LFTs are cheaper and easier as many providers send you the LFT device to take with you on your trip. A few days before returning you would then have a video appointment with a health care provider and take the test with them overseeing you. You will then get your results within 20 minutes. One such provider is Qured which offers them ‘from £39’ on their website.

How do I book a COVID test to travel?

There are numerous private providers that offer the service, a good place to start will probably be to see if the airline you are flying with has any testing partners. British Airways offer the following discounts for private providers…

• CityDoc home test kits and tests at London clinics — use discount code BA35
• ExpressTest tests at Heathrow and Gatwick — use discount code BRITISHAIRWAYS04
• Medicspot home test kits — use discount code BA
• Qured home test kits — use discount code BATRAVEL15
• Randox home test kits — use discount code BritishAirwaysD2D8

The Government also has a list of approved private providers which you can view here – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing – the list covers General testing & Test to Release providers.

Can I use a NHS Free COVID test to travel?

No unfortunately not. Government guidance is that COVID-19 testing for the purposes of international travel is not available on the NHS. People have done it yes… but the fact that you aren’t meant to and there is no set time that you get your results back means it is generally unusable for international travel anyway.

Conclusion

Although travel is returning it will still be a completely different experience compared to pre-COVID. When booking anywhere make sure you not only keep an eye on government guidance/entry requirements but also factor in the cost of your COVID tests. A family of 4 required to take 4 tests pre-departure, 4 before coming back, and then another 4 after arrival (future traffic light guidance on arrivals from green countries) would see their costs rise significantly!

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