 Poster: A snowHead
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Picking up from various threads, feedback on who is offering the best service for outbound Covid rapid testing but thought it would be useful to capture in one place.
Day 2 tests are unlikiely to be an issue as (without devalueing the test itself) the time frame and reliability going out is going to be far more critical especially for those travelling over the festive period.
Who have you used? How long did the results take? Was the QR code accepted by your destination for Covid passes?
Chronomics seem to be well reviewed just now but unclear if it produces a QR code.
Excalibur seem to offer a QR code but have yet to reply regarding reult time and its unclear on their website.
Cheers
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 16-11-21 23:15; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IMHO - there isn't really a "best" or "worst" as virtually every country requiring pre-departure testing has different rules as to what they require. Some require the test to be in person, some will allow video proctored, some are on trust. If you're looking for a generic answer, then you likely want a PCR test that's conducted in person, with a guaranteed 24 hour turnaround that produces a certificate (printed or pdf). the QR code for most of these is effectively pointless as there isn't a global (or even European) standard for a provable test result, unlike the EU covid pass QR code.
Even then, timescales vary - some countries are sensible and require the test 72 hours pre- scheduled departure, some require it 72 hours pre-arrival.
Finally, not everything is available everywhere in the UK. Lots of options if you live in London, but even here in South xcfordshire Fit to Fly options are somewhat limited.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I’ve used Chronomics, Qured and C-19 DIY kits for travel recently.
Chronomics - straight forward results and certificates back within 2 mins even at 2am
Certificates have no QR code. On one occasion BA at Edinburgh refused to accept the test certificate and weren’t interested in VeriFly, but a call to the duty office sorted it out with a few mins. It was just poor staff training and information.
Out of 16 boxes over the past month we did have a problem that one box was empty with no kit, so that person had to make an emergency dash to Manchester airport the next day for a test. Check the box when it arrives.
They also post the kits very close to departure so put in a flight/travel date a few days earlier than your actual date of travel.
I’ve had some since August that I only used in October.
C-19
Quick delivery of kits. Order before 8pm and they arrive the next day (not sure about weekends) Certificates took longer up to 6 hours after uploading test photos
Qured
Tests arrived promptly. I’ve used these when the test has to be supervised but it was becoming difficult to get a video slot. Certificates took around about 2 hours. No QR code but accepted by British Airways.
Collision at Manchester Airport issued a certificate within the hour after an in person test. No QR code
Remember that even if your certificate has a QR code it will probably not be compatible with the French Anti Covid App especially if it is an unsupervised test. It will though be fine for entry into France. You would need a test in a French pharmacy to activate the anti covid app for 72 hours.
I presume this info is for an under 18 year old. Adults from the UK that are not double vaccinated are not allowed into France.
Someone else can probably advise on other European destinations or you can check the relevant government websites.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks muppet, that's exactly the comparison I was looking for. Interesting still none of the QR codes are accepted on TAC etc, can literally only be considered for entry and not for any covid passes thereafter.
We are travelling to France via GVA with a mix of teens (who'll need one for entry into CH) and fully vaccd adults so as a precaution we might aswell all get one in case challenged at any stage entering FR.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@muppet, any recommendations/ comments about tests you’ve used to satisfy Scottish requirements for day 2 test on return home? (I’m assuming your Ayrshire location is correct).
@RichieC43, thanks - useful thread
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Inboard, Yes I’m based in Scotland but I’ve been flying via Heathrow into Edinburgh for the past 5/6 months so following the guidance for England as it was my first point of entry into the UK.
Scotland does now allow you a choice of day 2 test provider and not just the Scottish government overpriced option.
This week I’ve used Chronomics which was around £17 with a BA code.
When it was a PCR Day 2 test I would go via the Eurofins lab at Livingstone as it was cheap but they aren’t currently doing anything worthwhile.
Unfortunately none of the very cheap under £10 day 2 kits that are advertised for collection are available in Scotland but I’m keeping an eye on it.
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@muppet, thanks - useful to know.
Thinking about it, since we’re driving via Dover, I guess we may also fall under the English rules - tho since we’ll be coming straight home to Edinburgh with only toilet stops after Dover, it’s not clear whether we follow English or Scottish rules. But that’s a discussion for another thread!
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@Inboard, I’ve been landing at Heathrow T5 so put that as my point of entry. Then as my address my home in Ayrshire.
Some of the questions on the the PLF are
Where will you arrive in the UK ? LHR
What are your travel plans ? Stay in the UK
Is your home address in the UK ? Yes
Home address ? ……. Ayrshire
My latest arrival into the UK was Sunday and no problems. You do get a text from NHS Scotland reminding you to complete your Day 2 test, but after taking the test you do nothing with it, no where to upload it to !!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@muppet, cheers for that - all really good to know.
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I seem to be going round in circles trying to find a pre-departure test for my 14 year old that is done in person and will give results quickly in order to comply with the French requirement for a negative test within 24 hours of travel. The icing on the cake would be that it gives a QR code that would also work for the pass sanitaire but I am realising that could be a wish too far!! Right now I would settle for an in-person test that gives a quick enough result - if anyone has managed to find one I'd be very grateful for a recommendation. OR should I just accept that he will have to be tested again as soon as we arrive in resort and just get the cheapest DIY antigen test I can find to fulfil the entry requirements?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Monty72, I'd also be interested to see if the Lateral Flow negatives my daughters would need to enter France would be sufficient evidence for the Pass Sanitaire once they are actually in the country. Logic would assume yes scientifically....
Also, to avoid the stupidly narrow 24 hour window, you could fly to Geneva and drive into France from there. No test needed to enter Switzerland and no border checks being done to enter France from there.
The tight 24 hour window to enter France from the UK was decided months ago when we were 'plague island'. Waiting with interest to see if France impose the same requirement on Germany, Austria, most of Easter Europe etc.....
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks all. I'm travelling to France, via GVA, on 17 December, with three kids (15, 13 & 9), so this is all very useful.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Monty72, @snowhound,
The machine read LFT tests from any number of suppliers will give you a result in between 1-20mins and get you into France.
None of the commercial tests in UK are sufficient for PS, as you need a SIDEP generated QR, for this you need a French pharmacy test. The QR arrives in about 20mins.
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Poster: A snowHead
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All the above sfaik (based on real world experience).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks - I will look into these.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| snowhound wrote: |
@Monty72, I'd also be interested to see if the Lateral Flow negatives my daughters would need to enter France would be sufficient evidence for the Pass Sanitaire once they are actually in the country. Logic would assume yes scientifically....
Also, to avoid the stupidly narrow 24 hour window, you could fly to Geneva and drive into France from there. No test needed to enter Switzerland and no border checks being done to enter France from there.
The tight 24 hour window to enter France from the UK was decided months ago when we were 'plague island'. Waiting with interest to see if France impose the same requirement on Germany, Austria, most of Easter Europe etc..... |
We are driving so have no choice but to comply with the 24 hr testing window...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| midgetbiker wrote: |
@Monty72, @snowhound,
The machine read LFT tests from any number of suppliers will give you a result in between 1-20mins and get you into France.
None of the commercial tests in UK are sufficient for PS, as you need a SIDEP generated QR, for this you need a French pharmacy test. The QR arrives in about 20mins. |
I think this will be our best option - take the basic test to enter the country and then head to a pharmacy in resort as soon as we arrive. It is good to have it confirmed that trying to find a pre-travel test that would also qualify for PS and get results within 24 hrs of travelling was a fruitless search!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Monty72, Fair enough. We will do a test anyway before we leave just to check the girls don't have covid. As they need to take a test before getting their passes, we'd rather be certain before we leave rather than get a nasty surprise out there and they have to spend the week in the apartment.....
Think they might have some symptoms a couple of days before we leave and we will book in an NHS PCR just in case it might be covid.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Unless I’m missing something, you don’t need pre-departure test if vaccinated for France do you?
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| Monty72 wrote: |
| I seem to be going round in circles trying to find a pre-departure test for my 14 year old that is done in person and will give results quickly in order to comply with the French requirement for a negative test within 24 hours of travel. The icing on the cake would be that it gives a QR code that would also work for the pass sanitaire but I am realising that could be a wish too far!! Right now I would settle for an in-person test that gives a quick enough result - if anyone has managed to find one I'd be very grateful for a recommendation. OR should I just accept that he will have to be tested again as soon as we arrive in resort and just get the cheapest DIY antigen test I can find to fulfil the entry requirements? |
I’ve just read on Crystal page and gov.uk that you can’t do a self administered test which means a private testing centre in both Uk and Andorra to transit into France
“arrivals from the UK aged 12 years old or over are required to present evidence of a negative test (PCR or antigen) taken within 24 hours of departure (first flight departure in case of connecting flight). Self-administered tests are not accepted”.
So for us living in the lakes it means a trip to Manchester the day before our flight Sad
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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There is no difference between a fit to fly certificate that is issued when you test at home and when the test is done at a testing centre, such as Heathrow. I suspect that ‘self administered’ refers to the NHS issued tests.
If anyone is worried about their accommodation accepting the fit to fly test, contact them and ask. We’re staying at a hotel on our way to the Alps and they have confirmed that the fit to fly test will be accepted by them.
The ski resorts are gearing up for testing tourists - we’ve been told by someone who runs a bar in Tignes that the test centre will be open until 22:00 every day. It’s going to be expensive to test our unvaccinated children, but, logistically, it seems that it will be easy.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rachelharrisonsmith wrote: |
There is no difference between a fit to fly certificate that is issued when you test at home and when the test is done at a testing centre, such as Heathrow. I suspect that ‘self administered’ refers to the NHS issued tests.
If anyone is worried about their accommodation accepting the fit to fly test, contact them and ask. We’re staying at a hotel on our way to the Alps and they have confirmed that the fit to fly test will be accepted by them.
The ski resorts are gearing up for testing tourists - we’ve been told by someone who runs a bar in Tignes that the test centre will be open until 22:00 every day. It’s going to be expensive to test our unvaccinated children, but, logistically, it seems that it will be easy. |
I just took another look and Crystal say this:
“Children aged 12-17 need to book and pay for a negative antigen (lateral flow) test to be taken no earlier than 24 hours before arrival at your accommodation or a negative PCR test to be taken no earlier than 72 hours before arrival at your accommodation. Self-administered tests are not accepted so you’ll need to book a test with a medical professional – these are available through Randox and Screen4, but you can also choose from the government’s list of approved testing providers. The above does not apply if your child is fully vaccinated”
The chromonics and klarity only offer the test at home and they are not mentioned. It’s baffling. I can’t find any information from the French side that mentioned medical professionals doing the test??
I’ll post back after yet another trawl of internet….
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I think the point is the home test has to be verified by a medical professional.
https://www.chronomics.com/fit-to-fly-antigen
| Quote: |
Use this test as proof of COVID-19 status before leaving the UK
Quick results within minutes
UK Government approved
Easy online registration and downloadable certificates |
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Boots offer an in-store antigen test with certificate and results within an hour for only £30 - this seemed like a winner and I went through the whole registration system before actually being able to book a slot only to find that the nearest store offering the service would mean over a 2 hour round trip on the same day that we drive to France! We are on the Bucks/Herts border so not exactly a remote location. This seems like a good deal if you are lucky enough to live close to one of the stores that offer the service, but the problem is that you have to jump through a lot of hoops before finding out there are no suitable appointments.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Emmalowick, all of the tests that I have sent the results in for verification are on the government approved lists. I have used both the test at home and in person tests to get fit to fly certificates and both have been accepted for entry into the relevant country this year (for my unvaccinated teenager to France and Austria).
I think that @Layne, comment is spot on. Its the verification of the test that is key.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Took 3 PCRs with Eurofins in Livingston today for entry to Italy on the 26th (could have taken remote antigen tests tomorrow perhaps but was nervous about certificate turnaround on Xmas Day etc). Went for Fast VIP (results promised within 8 hours) and Drive-Through so one less link to fail in the chain. £81 each with airline discount code (not the airline we are flying with  ). While there, the staff confirmed that the samples are tested on-site (in fact, they promised to walk them straight over).
3 negatives back within 4h30 so very happy with service (and result!). Would recommend for Scottish flyers and will use for Day 2 testing on (hopeful) return.
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