Covid Testing and Travel

[Jim Lahey]

Doing my first work trip since covid on Friday. Flying Heathrow to Atlanta with BA.

Just wanted to get the bored's wisdom on covid testing. As far as I can see all I need to get is a home test lateral flow from someone like Randox and use their app to get a cert. Is it as simple as this?

Seems strange that it doesn't need to supervised which could lead to a bit of abuse. Theoretically if I was positive I could just get someone negative to take it for me.

[S/Lt_Phillips]

Doing my first work trip since covid on Friday. Flying Heathrow to Atlanta with BA.

Just wanted to get the bored's wisdom on covid testing. As far as I can see all I need to get is a home test lateral flow from someone like Randox and use their app to get a cert. Is it as simple as this?

Seems strange that it doesn't need to supervised which could lead to a bit of abuse. Theoretically if I was positive I could just get someone negative to take it for me.

Pretty much, yes.

You'll need your NHS (or equivalent) vaccine passport, and a certified LFT taken within the 24 hours prior to departure. I used Randox because I could do a click & collect at a local Scotmid for the actual test kit (which is the same as the free NHS ones, but I don't know if they have specific batch numbers etc, so just made sure I used theirs). The app was a bit of a pain because it needs side-loading on Android phones, but if you're an iPhone user I think it's standard. Certifying the LFT was easy - the app takes a photo of the cartridge and you get a certificate back. It says it can take up to 2 hours, but mine took less than 2 minutes. Note though that their opening hours are something like 8am to 8pm, so you might need to work out the best time to do it so it fits in the 24 hours window prior to departure.

Check-in staff will probably ask to see the LFT certificate, and your vaccine passport - phone screens were fine for Easyjet, but we had paper copies just in case. We were flying to Europe, so can't say what US immigration will be like when you land.

I think the US recommends that you take a further test while you're there, but I don't know if that has to be certified or registered - you'll need to check.

You'll also need to complete a UK passenger locator form (PLF) in the 48 hours before arriving back in the UK. This is done on-line, don't need to print it out.

And yes, you are right, theoretically you can fake the test, the Randox app just needs you to upload a photo of the cartridge, not a video of you doing the test

[Jim Lahey]

Nice one, cheers bud

[Dinsdale Piranha]

You don't need any tests before returning to the UK if you are fully vaccinated. I used a test from medicspot for going to the US.

[Jim Lahey]

You don't need any tests before returning to the UK if you are fully vaccinated.

Cool. Do you know if the airlines (BA in this case) have their own specific requirements to get on board?

[Dinsdale Piranha]

You don't need any tests before returning to the UK if you are fully vaccinated.

Cool. Do you know if the airlines (BA in this case) have their own specific requirements to get on board?

I had to show my passenger locator form.

[S/Lt_Phillips]

You don't need any tests before returning to the UK if you are fully vaccinated.

Cool. Do you know if the airlines (BA in this case) have their own specific requirements to get on board?

I had to show my passenger locator form.

I understand from browsing the Snowheads forum that BA are using the Verifly app for uploading the required docs. Haven't used it myself, but probably worth checking out.

[Sandstorm]

Cock! I have Covid! After more than 2 years of keeping away from snotty kids, nightclubs and old people, it has finally caught up with me.
Sweating like a racehorse all night and my spine feels like it wants to crack in two.

No idea where I got it - no-one else at work has it and I didn't do anything "out of the ordinary" in the last 5-7 days either. Maybe in the Tesco tomatoes aisle with all the other disappointed shoppers....

[CM11]

The US are still covid mad? Eugh. One more reason not to go there.

[Sandstorm]

The US are still covid mad? Eugh. One more reason not to go there.

Nah, the only places still demanding tests for travellers is some parts of Asia.

[CM11]

The US are still covid mad? Eugh. One more reason not to go there.

Nah, the only places still demanding tests for travellers is some parts of Asia.

OP talks about needing a test to go to Atlanta.

[Insane_Homer]

The US are still covid mad? Eugh. One more reason not to go there.

Nah, the only places still demanding tests for travellers is some parts of Asia.

OP talks about needing a test to go to Atlanta.

a year ago

[Slick]

Nah, the only places still demanding tests for travellers is some parts of Asia.

OP talks about needing a test to go to Atlanta.

a year ago

He'll get used to the pace of this bored

[CM11]

[Ymx]

To be fair. It was a strange thread to bump by Sandy.

I was wondering the same.

I think he bumped the wrong one.

viewtopic.php?t=30&start=14680

Is the Covid one.

[Sandstorm]

I searched “Covid”’instead of “ Corona…”