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International travel rules announced

Started by Fambo Number Mive, May 07, 2021, 06:32:12 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Ferris

They fine you 500 quid a go I think!

Will keep looking but it's good to have some names to start out with. Thanks!

monkfromhavana

We went with HASU Diagnostics as they had the best reviews £48 for Amber day 2 only test at home with £8 delivery. Think it's free to return it, but who knows as all these sites are pretty opaque with contradictory statements on different pages.

We also looked at:
Randox (Shit)
Nomad Travel (probably 2nd best and cheaper than above)
(something) 440... (Shit)
Breathe Assured (Shit, because it's actually Randox)
Expert-Medicals (Total AIDS, this is the 519 reviewed 86% AIDS)

Basically, you know when you see that Matt Hancock has given his mate 576 million quid?, Well, it's probably these jokers.


Ferris

Oh nice one, appreciate the heads up. We're a few weeks away from needing it, but good to know.

If you go on the NHS website and click to say you've been in contact with someone who has had symptoms you can get free PCR tests and results within a day of postage, is that not allowed somehow?

mothman

Though I guess you could possibly get away with it, in theory you're meant to isolate for a certain amount of time after the contact regardless of what the test comes back as. I think - the rules are so complicated and seem to change all the time anyway. So you could find yourself with some tricky questions to answer. As I say, chances are you might get away with it because they don't seem to be that joined up, but Sod's law you'd be the one who'd get done for one minor transgression while all the cunts who flaunt the rules swan by unmolested...

monkfromhavana

Quote from: FerriswheelBueller on August 03, 2021, 09:51:17 PM
Oh nice one, appreciate the heads up. We're a few weeks away from needing it, but good to know.

We're away next Wednesday and back the following Wednesday, so I should be able to let you know if HASU Diagnostics are any good before you need to book anything.

Attila

I'm meant to travel to Spain for a research thing in early September, and apparently they will accept the NHS's 'covid passport', but fuck me, is it an exercise in frustration trying to get one when you haven't got a Smart phone.

Just to see what's involved in good time, I've been trying to generate one this morning -- Spain requires that the NHS 'passport' matches the way your name appears on your UK passport; this is something I want to check now, as I think with the NHS, I'm just registered as FirstName Surname, whereas my UK passport is FirstName MiddleName Surname.

Just trying to get to the NHS passport is frustrating the heck out of me -- fair enough they want to be very careful about confirming your identity, but so far I've had to enter my log in name and password twice, provide them with a number they sent to me by text; they've wanted a photo ID scanned in (passport, driving licence), and I gave up when I got to the page asking me to make a video of me reciting a series of numbers (this PC hasn't got a camera/mic on it, so I'd have to get out my laptop for all that).

I really do'nt want to have to buy a Smartphone just to do this :(  (I rarely phone anyone and rarely text -- I've just got a pay-as-you-go phone, so a Smartphone would be a monthly expense I don't need, and would languish in a drawer most of the time).

Thing is, I generated one of these Covd passports off the NHS site a couple of weeks ago, no probs -- entered in my details and NHS number, and got back a file with a QR code to print out. I guess they've upped security and double checking ID since then.

The main thing is, I need to check to make sure whatever the NHS cranks out matches the name on my passport, because if it doesn't, I'll have to contact the GP ? I guess? No idea -- I registered with a GP only because I had to for the vaccines. This is stressing me out way more than it should, I think.

Zetetic


nugget

Quote from: monkfromhavana on August 03, 2021, 07:44:01 PM
We went with HASU Diagnostics as they had the best reviews £48 for Amber day 2 only test at home with £8 delivery. Think it's free to return it, but who knows as all these sites are pretty opaque with contradictory statements on different pages.

We also looked at:
Randox (Shit)
Nomad Travel (probably 2nd best and cheaper than above)
(something) 440... (Shit)
Breathe Assured (Shit, because it's actually Randox)
Expert-Medicals (Total AIDS, this is the 519 reviewed 86% AIDS)

Basically, you know when you see that Matt Hancock has given his mate 576 million quid?, Well, it's probably these jokers.

I ordered my test kit from "Brunswick Hygiene". I didn't think to check for reviews but I wish I had, because their reviews are terrible, with mentions of delayed results and non-existent customer service. Some people also complained that they don't analyse the tests themselves, instead they act as a kind of broker with the tests being sent to different labs around the UK, but this is actually very clear from their website if people would bother to read it. My experience so far is mixed, I didn't like being stung with an extra £20 for shipping and VAT at the last stage of the lengthy checkout process, but they did dispatch the kit really quickly, and it arrived at my mum's house the next morning. I'm not bothered if there are delays getting the results back, I would have cared under the old test-to-release scheme, but now that the quarantine requirement has been lifted I couldn't care less.


Shoulders?-Stomach!

Due to Ireland's rules relaxing - no test or quarantine for double jabbed people - I'm thinking of heading to Dublin in early September, hopefully that will be in a low point in infections before schools go back.

monkfromhavana

Quote from: monkfromhavana on August 04, 2021, 07:58:32 AM
We're away next Wednesday and back the following Wednesday, so I should be able to let you know if HASU Diagnostics are any good before you need to book anything.

Further update. We ordered the tests on Tuesday evening and they arrived today. I thought we were supposed to message them 2 days prior to returning to the UK, but clearly not. You have enter details of flights back to the UK when you order them, so it's not like they don't have the correct information.

Anyway, got them, so when we get back we'll do them and send them, then it's not our problem anymore.

bgmnts

Listening to these cunts whinging about their holibobs possibly being inconvenienced does make me realise that despite how fucked we all generally are, our way of life is mostly cushy as fuck.

Fr.Bigley

Literally just done day two test after being in the nordics, I paid 99 quid for 2 and day 8 which isn't that bad. Kit arrived on time and has a tracking number in real time. Mines currently half way to its destination.

Have to quarantine now. 10 days off work..awful.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: thelittlemango on August 03, 2021, 11:06:17 PM
If you go on the NHS website and click to say you've been in contact with someone who has had symptoms you can get free PCR tests and results within a day of postage, is that not allowed somehow?

Some of the testing centres handing out lateral flows will chuck in a PCR while you're there; I saw no mention of it online but I turned up they just said 'the current recommendations are everyone who comes here should have one but you don't have to'. The official guff online made it seem like they were rationing them.

I guess it might vary by centre and location but it might be worth a punt.

Kankurette

Quote from: bgmnts on August 05, 2021, 01:07:03 PM
Listening to these cunts whinging about their holibobs possibly being inconvenienced does make me realise that despite how fucked we all generally are, our way of life is mostly cushy as fuck.
Tbh I'm not going on holiday outside the UK until I know it's safe and I don't have to quarantine. Even if it means missing Primavera 2022.

Shoulders?-Stomach!

Quote from: bgmnts on August 05, 2021, 01:07:03 PM
Listening to these cunts whinging about their holibobs possibly being inconvenienced does make me realise that despite how fucked we all generally are, our way of life is mostly cushy as fuck.

I suppose the only thing worth conceding is that due to restrictions being eased, general activity is already at such a level where infection is rife, and spreading internationally regardless of restrictions, so you could equally go 'aw diddums' at people who want to go clubbing or go to a gig or a football match.

But it's a classic case of moving the goalposts because if Covid was to vanish overnight it would become 'well you shouldn't go abroad anyway cos environment'.

bgmnts

Quote from: Shoulders?-Stomach! on August 06, 2021, 12:37:29 PM
so you could equally go 'aw diddums' at people who want to go clubbing or go to a gig or a football match

Most definitely.

monkfromhavana

Travelled yesterday and all fine. Only difference was the queue at passport control taking 3 times as long cos some people seemingly not bringing docs or knowing how to use the Internet. Flight full to brim with lots of arse holes nit wearing masks correctly, much to exasperation of cabin staff, including one who when told off put the mask over his eyes instead.

buttgammon

Quote from: monkfromhavana on August 12, 2021, 09:26:57 AM
Travelled yesterday and all fine. Only difference was the queue at passport control taking 3 times as long cos some people seemingly not bringing docs or knowing how to use the Internet. Flight full to brim with lots of arse holes nit wearing masks correctly, much to exasperation of cabin staff, including one who when told off put the mask over his eyes instead.

Glad you made it but wow, that is some level of stupidity.

I'm fully vaccinated and now considering going home for the first time since the end of 2019. I'm lucky to get a choice between flying or getting the ferry and it just feels much safer to travel by ferry the way things are. Perhaps it's my imagination, but despite it being a longer journey, I get the feeling I'd be less at the mercy of other people and their idiotic behaviour. It would also mean not having to travel through England, which has to be a good thing at the moment. At least Wales acknowledges that the virus still exists.

monkfromhavana

My mate made the opposite journey (Poland to UK) the same day and said that he could have got through UK COVID checks with a picture of his dick as long as it was printed on A4 paper given the amount of attention shown to it.

monkfromhavana

Quote from: buttgammon on August 12, 2021, 09:42:06 AM
Glad you made it but wow, that is some level of stupidity.

I'm fully vaccinated and now considering going home for the first time since the end of 2019. I'm lucky to get a choice between flying or getting the ferry and it just feels much safer to travel by ferry the way things are. Perhaps it's my imagination, but despite it being a longer journey, I get the feeling I'd be less at the mercy of other people and their idiotic behaviour. It would also mean not having to travel through England, which has to be a good thing at the moment. At least Wales acknowledges that the virus still exists.

Ferry would be best. More space and can go outside. Safer than having a plane full of people trying to hotbox it with COVID 19.

Fr.Bigley

Went through Helsinki last week. A dream. Super on it, speedy, clean, efficient and to top it off had an embraer 190 practically to ourselves. Wonderful experience. Manchester airport on the other hand....

mothman

Quote from: monkfromhavana on August 12, 2021, 10:25:53 AM
Ferry would be best. More space and can go outside. Safer than having a plane full of people trying to hotbox it with COVID 19.

Fingers crossed then, I'm on a ferry on Saturday...

Shoulders?-Stomach!

Can't justify paying so much for tests so going to just go to Ireland over and over until another country (and the UK) drops that requirement).

mothman

Condor Ferries' COVID information provision fucking sucks. Nothing in the booking emails, when normally you can't avoid all the caveats and changes to procedures. But Condor? Noooo. Like the books of magic in Dr. Strange, they put the warnings at the end. I had to actively go looking to find the regs for entering the Channel Islands. And then fill in the same online form, with just shy of a dozen steps, for each member of the family. Started saying "Dormammu, I've come to bargain" each time I clicked Next, until MrsMoth told me to stop.

mothman

A fairly efficient system, rolling off the ferry this evening. Get asked if we'd prefer-registered a test, we said yes, got sent to one queue. That then splits into three (those cars that hadn't registered online in advance get sent off in a different direction, didn't see what happens there). They then scanned our QR codes, gave us a hastily-hand-labelled test each, then we're gradually filtered back into one lane where testers took our tests off us, administered them, then off we went. They were even trained to administer tests to difficult people like our autistic younger daughter. Probably only 20mins, 30 max from tiling off the ferry to exiting the port.

beanheadmcginty

Returned to London from Amsterdam yesterday on the Eurostar. First time in 10 months. I'd forgotten how many homeless people we have here. The only paperwork I got checked was my passport (twice, by the Dutch and British border guards in the Dam). No one asked about my covid status. Saw some other people with new blue (black) Britisgh passports in the queue, which made me weirdly angry. Also forgot how bad the phone reception is in this country. I don't regret emigrating.

the science eel

Quote from: monkfromhavana on August 12, 2021, 09:26:57 AM
Travelled yesterday and all fine. Only difference was the queue at passport control taking 3 times as long cos some people seemingly not bringing docs or knowing how to use the Internet. Flight full to brim with lots of arse holes nit wearing masks correctly, much to exasperation of cabin staff, including one who when told off put the mask over his eyes instead.

Fuck's sake. Where were you going to/from? I've a flight booked to Bucharest at the end of September and although Romania's a green list country and it should be relatively quiet then, I'm a bit worried about the airport malarkey at both ends.

monkfromhavana

#89
Poland. Leaving tomorrow so had our tests done yesterday. Received the negative results though they managed to get my name wrong, get my date of birth wrong and get my passport number wrong even though they were transcribing it from my passport.

I am dreading Luton airport tomorrow.

*Edited cos was in a rush and this tablet is shit.