The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 14th July

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Mark says:

14 Jul14 July 10:45

Am I right to say there will be no difference between Green / Amber list countries if you’re arriving in the UK after 19th July? Both require you to do a day 2 PCR irregardless.
- Harry T says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:03
  
  I’d you’ve been double vaccinated in the UK at least two weeks prior to your return after 19th July, then Amber is essentially Green. Same pointless tests to line the pockets of Tory donors and mates 😂
@mkcol says:

14 Jul14 July 10:50

I made a BA Holidays booking last night but the AVIS Preferred number wouldn’t load into it & they advised to contact them.
I tried twitter but they’re only handling enquiries within the next 4 weeks. They told me to call 0344 493 0787 (I checked on SayNoTo0870 for another number but there wasn’t).

I’ve called & after going through all the prerecorded guff they told me to call back at a later date & hung up.

Any idea how to get around it or if there’s another number to call?
- Andrew Mc says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:01
  
  03 numbers are charged no differently to 01 and 02 numbers…nothing to worry about there!
  - @mkcol says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 13:13
    
    Thanks, but that wasn’t my concern.
- Oliver says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 13:15
  
  Last did this in 2019, so I’m afraid details are hazy, but there is a way to associate your Avis Preferred number with an existing BA Holidays booking without calling.
  
  Look through all the stuff in Manage My Booking. Somewhere (maybe by downloading your non-flight vouchers) you will find your Avis booking reference.
  
  If you are signed into the Avis app, you can then add the booking to your account using that reference.
  - @mkcol says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 21:48
    
    Yeah I’ve got the AVIS booking ref & can bring it up in their app when I’m logged in, but there isn’t a way to add it to my account.
    I’ll try the website in case there’s a way there which isn’t on the app.
- AJA says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 13:54
  
  It’s a while since I did this but I think the Avis car rental booking has its own reference in addition to the BA PNR. I think you can add the BA booking if you log into Avis Preferred.
  - @mkcol says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 21:49
    
    Unfortunately the AVIS app won’t let me add their booking ref to my Preferred account.
roberto says:

14 Jul14 July 10:52

Anyone had a refund of Collinson?
Ive got to cancel my test for Sunday, it is refundable..just wondering how long a refund takes and if you have to chase them?
N says:

14 Jul14 July 11:00

Anyone have any experience with ‘Expert Medical’ for day 2 arrival testing? price seems very reasonable (£28) but conscious that a lot of these companies could have a lot of problems
- N says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:07
  
  also is an NHS-provided rapid lateral flow test sufficient to be ‘fit to fly’ for fully vaccinated people? and if i am going to be in germany, does the test before arrival to england need to also be a private test provider?
  - Rob says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 11:08
    
    Not for returning to the UK because your test result doesn’t contain all of the required passport information.
    - N says:
      
      14 Jul14 July 11:18
      
      thanks Rob. what about before flying out of the UK – is the NHS rapid flow test sufficient?
      - Rob says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:20
        
        You don’t need a test to fly out of the UK!
      - Beardless Hipster says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 12:27
        
        As a rule of thumb, if the destination requires a negative test to board the plane then you need to pay for your own; if a negative test is not required to fly but it gets you off the hook from any compulsory quarantine at your destination then you can get away with an NHS test.
    - Nick says:
      
      14 Jul14 July 11:25
      
      That’s not correct Rob. You can’t use the NHS tests as they’re blocked by UK Government to limit cost, but there’s no need to have your passport details on the test result.
      
      You are able to use NHS tests for arrival in some other destinations.
      - Rob says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:27
        
        In which case, why does Gibraltar force you to pay £30 to get your incoming (free) test result in a prescribed format – inc passport data – which will allow you to check-in at the airport on your return? The standard test result you are given is not accepted.
      - N says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:33
        
        this is all so confusing!!
        
        if you dont need a test to fly out of the UK, why are there these ‘fit to fly tests’ being sold?
        
        It would be helpful to know what kinds of tests are required for me to do if I am going to/returning from Germany. the day 2 arrival test is clear, but i’m not clear on what i need to do before flying and what i need to do when I’m in Germany, before flying back. what kind of test is acceptable there?
      - Rob says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:38
        
        Germany may require you to show certain test results on arrival, and BA is required to check those before your board and reject you if you don’t have them. There is no de facto requirement to have any test before departing a UK airport though.
      - Ian M says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:39
        
        https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/germany/entry-requirements
      - N says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:47
        
        thanks, so it looks like if you are fully vaccinated, that is sufficient for entry into Germany. just need to find out about these tests in Germany itself
- Harry T says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:54
  
  None of this is very confusing – just break it down into tests/proof of vaccination your destination country requires, and then what the UK requires. All of this information is freely available on the government/tourism websites.
  
  The fit to fly tests are for countries that require a test prior to arrival, such as Spain.
  - Ryan Gill says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 14:19
    
    Yes, but so much research and thinking needs to be done regarding each destination. Not confusing, effing arduous.
    - Harry T says:
      
      14 Jul14 July 14:31
      
      Agreed, it’s a lot of hassle. The UK government is clearly committed to deterring foreign travel.
      - Pete M says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 14:39
        
        But seeing the smile on the Border Force officer’s face when you bring them a neat folder with everything printed out, in order and highlighted… priceless! 🙂
- r* says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 14:51
  
  £36 after the hidden shipping charge is added. Terrible reviews but does anyone actually care for day2?
- JSemity says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 16:27
  
  Ordered mine Monday, arrived today (landed back yesterday), did it this morning, in the post now. Couldn’t care less what happens from this point on as you’re only paying for the confirmation number to pop in the gov form which they send out immediately on purchase
- MM says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 17:46
  
  Worst company possible! out of 6 different companies we’ve used this was worse. delayed results and no way to communicate in time. Not worth saving a few pennies with this one
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 22:23
    
    Why? As long as you have a booking reference it literally makes no difference when and if it turns up.
bafan says:

14 Jul14 July 11:02

Dumb question maybe but after the 19th, what is the different for Green and Amber for vaccinated people? No quarantine and Day 2 test, right? I saw people on Paul Charles’ Twitter panicking about the Balearics going Amber again.
- JP says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:07
  
  No difference if double vaccinated 14 days ago, just that amber is one stage closer to red….
  - Sam G says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 11:10
    
    Can’t see any of Europe going red tbh – porous borders makes enforcement hard & it’d need a big step up in capacity. If there is a variant issue in Europe it’ll likely be an issue here before it’s obvious enough to make red worth doing
    - JP says:
      
      14 Jul14 July 11:21
      
      Agreed, is very unlikely that any of Europe would go red this summer.
      - Rob says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:24
        
        Or ever. Even the most pessimistic covid predictions seem to show the UK effectively hitting herd immunity amongst lowly vaxed age groups by the end of August.
        
        Even now, if you assume 36k diagnosed cases per day means 150-200k real cases, you are de-facto getting antibodies into 1m+ per week. It is far more efficient than the vaccination programme which is now stuck at 100k per day first doses.
      - Ian M says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 11:43
        
        UK should put itself on the red list. More new cases each other than the rest of Europe combined
      - Dr C says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 12:44
        
        @Ian M You need to read less of the BBC and more of Robs posts, Rob has the best factual insights into all of this.
      - Ian M says:
        
        14 Jul14 July 15:20
        
        @Dr C, I try to avoid the BBC news at all times. But anyway I was joking.
        
        High case numbers and low hospital admission rates can only be a good thing anyway.
        
        Daily deaths are on par with this time last year. No vaccine last year. Maybe less people die in the summer months from flu like illnesses.
        
        Lets see what winter brings. More lockdowns probably
- Sam G says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:08
  
  None. But plenty of people aren’t double jabbed +2 weeks yet (e.g. I’m 34 and won’t be until Aug and I was very quick to get mine booked once announced) so if you’ve got imminent travel plans these will be disrupted
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 17:53
    
    You say plenty but 66% of the adult population and all the u18 population is now exempt from isolation (so Amber is Green)
    
    Therefore perhaps that 20% of the population who then have travel plans might be disrupted but it’s literally such a small % of the total number of travellers.
- Rob says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:09
  
  Nothing
  - MKB says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 13:27
    
    Is there evidence for a 1:6 ratio between diagnosed cases in the UK versus actual infections?
    - Alan says:
      
      14 Jul14 July 14:39
      
      The ONS’s surveys indicate roughly that ratio.
- Mark says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:15
  
  I’m double vaxxed and looking to travel next week. Just on the hunt for the cheapest fit-to-fly back to UK + Day 2 PCR…
  
  Seems like Qured fit-to-fly (£34 with BA code) + Expert medical PCR (£28 + £8 shipping) is the cheapest. Anyone found any better?
  - Pete M says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 11:51
    
    I keep banging on about Project Screen for lateral flow tests at £26pp via Virgin.
  - SteveKicks says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 13:32
    
    As Pete M mentioned, you can get a pre return test for £26 here https://web.projectscreen.co.uk/add-to-cart?product=uk-lfd-fit-to-fly-arrival&tag=virgin
LessCleverAndrew says:

14 Jul14 July 11:10

expresstest.co.uk site keeps giving me an error trying to book an antigen test for four online. Does anyone else know a walk-in provider for rtapid flow anti gen in the Thames Valley area? Reading though Heathrow, High Wycombe, … ?
- LessCleverAndrew says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 13:40
  
  Update on this for anyone wondering. It seems their website is having issues. I solved my problem by clearing my browser cache and starting again. At 35GBP a pop, per person for a rapid antigen test on-site I still think these firms are profiteering.
Jack says:

14 Jul14 July 11:32

Not sure if someone knows – can’t find the answer anywhere. For returning from an amber list country after 19 July, when is “fully vaccinated” defined?

Is it on departure from the UK to the amber list country, or on departure from the amber list country to the UK?

If my 14th day since my second dose was on 20 July and I was due to fly back to the UK on 21 July, would I be classed as “fully vaccinated” and hence not have to self isolate? Thanks in advance!
- Rob says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 11:40
  
  Date you arrive back.
  
  (I have edited this comment because my brain is not functioning today.)
  
  Confirmed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england
  - Jack says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 12:12
    
    Thank you Rob!
MadeUpName says:

14 Jul14 July 11:50

So after the Portugal traffic light change and the Balearics now rumoured to be moving from green to amber or red, can I check where Marriott are planning to take Rhys next??
- Harry T says:
  
  14 Jul14 July 12:08
  
  Typhoid Rhys strikes again!
  - HBommie says:
    
    14 Jul14 July 12:31
    
    That’s rich!