Traveling during a pandemic is no easy task, especially with ever-changing guidelines. To ease travel to and from England, MeditSimple has listed all the latest COVID-19 tests and quarantine regulations for you.
So while you pack your suitcase and get ready to explore a new destination, check our guide below to help you prepare your trip, depending on your destination, vaccination status, and testing requirements.
Travel to England from a non-red list country
1. If you are fully vaccinated
If you are fully vaccinated and travelling to England from a non-red list country, here is what you need to do.
You can check if you are considered as fully vaccinated here.
Before entering the UK territory:
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- Take a COVID-19 test before you travel to England: antigen or PCR (within 48 hours before arriving)
- Prior to flying, book and pay for a PCR test to be taken in the UK
- Complete a Passenger Locator form (within 48 hours before arriving). You will need your PCR test booking reference to do so.
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After arrival:
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- Take your PCR test on Day 2 upon arrival. Note that the day you arrive in the UK counts as day 0.
- You must self-isolate until you receive a negative test result.
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2. If you are not fully vaccinated
If you are not fully vaccinated, and travelling to England from a non-red list country, here is what you need to do.
Before entering the UK territory:
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- Take a COVID-19 test before departure: antigen or PCR (within 48 hours before arriving)
- Before travelling, book and pay for Day 2 and Day 8 PCR tests. They will have to be taken once in the UK.
- Complete a Passenger Locator form (within 48 hours before arriving). You will need your 2 PCR test booking references to do so.
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After arrival:
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- You must quarantine at home for 10 full days.
- Take your pre-booked PCR tests on Day 2 and Day 8 upon arrival. You must self-isolate until you receive a negative test result for your Day 8 test. The day you arrive in the UK counts as day 0.
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To find the most suitable test kit provider, check out our list of testing options/locations below to book your approved Covid test near you. We offer both at-home self-tests and in-person testing at our partner labs. Alternatively, check out the government website for further options.
Book an approved Covid Test
Travel to England from a red list country
If you have been in a red list country in the 10 days before you arrive in England, you will only be allowed to enter the UK if you either 1) are a British or Irish National 2) have residence rights in the UK. You can check the red list for travel on the government website.
There are currently (12/01/2022) no countries on the red list for travel to England, but this is under constant review and subject to changes at any time.
Here’s what to know if you’re thinking about a trip in the UK from a high-risk country for new and emerging strains of coronavirus.
Before entering the UK territory:
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- Take a COVID-19 test before departure: PCR (within 48 hours before arriving)
- Before traveling, book a quarantine hotel package, which includes 2 COVID-19 tests to be taken once in the UK.
- Complete a Passenger Locator form (within 48 hours before arriving).
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After arrival:
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- You must quarantine for 10 full days in a managed quarantine hotel.
- Take your pre-booked PCR tests on Day 2 and Day 8 upon arrival. Here again, the day you arrive in England is day 0.
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Leaving the UK for another country
If you are traveling outside of the UK in the near future, here are some things to keep in mind while you pack.
First, you need to check foreign travel advice for the countries you plan to travel to, in terms of entry, testing, and quarantine measures.
Some countries have introduced stricter rules for people coming from the UK due to ongoing concerns over the Omicron variant. Tourism and business travels might be banned in some instances, only allowing British travellers with a compelling reason– regardless of their vaccination status. You will then need to show proof of the reason for the visit (e.g. certificate of studies or a doctor’s note). You can inquire about the rules at your destination country by contacting the British Embassy directly, or the country’s embassy in the UK.
Importantly, most countries require proof of vaccination status. On occasions, you can use the NHS COVID Pass (accessible from the NHS App) to prove your vaccination status abroad, but you should check local country’s specific vaccination pass requirements.
For all of us, the stress imposed by the pandemic means we yearn to travel more than ever! Now that you are good to go, we wish you safe travel. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
DISCLAIMER:
This article was written on January 4th 2022, and is therefore subject to changes, depending on potential government updates. So as you get closer to your departure date, please double-check that the information is still valid. You can also write to us at contact@meditsimple.com to let us know if you have spotted a change. MeditSimple will be not be held responsible for any inconvenience that may have occurred from any action taken after reading this guidance.
Reference
Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Travel abroad from England during coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
UK day 2 tests: Everything you need to know, including the cheapest provider | Euronews
Here’s what we know about the UK’s change to day 2 PCR tests | Euronews
New UK Covid travel rules come into effect amid Omicron spread | Evening Standard
