Covid and travel discussion

PCR requirement coming into force from 4am Tuesday I believe.
Another perfect example of the Gov making a significant change but not actually giving any hard info on it, leaving people to look for scraps on the detail.

It's set up to fail again, as the private testing companies simply couldn't deal with demand before so I can't see people sitting on their isolating arses for 2 weeks awaiting their result.

Another opportunity to rip us all off though, great scenes.
 
I will add that despite the chaos, it's good to see action happening relatively quickly in regards to this new variant.
Everyone knows the twats in charge royally fucked up with Delta earlier in the year, so at least some lessons appear to have been learnt.

I just think the whole system is flawed.

If a couple have been out in South Africa, you're asking them to pay £3700 to sit in an airport hotel for 11 days. It's a fucking obscene amount and encourages people to bend the rules.
Said example couple out in SA have done nothing wrong, have travelled perfectly legally and are about to be financially hammered through no fault of their own.

I know certain people will chirp up 'going abroad comes with risks so no sympathy from me', but that really isn't the right disposition to have. The world is global and even closing borders doesn't keep the virus out, as we've seen time and time again. And not forgetting that not everyone travels for leisure purposes.

For the unfortunate people caught up in red list changes, there needs to be a better plan in place, that doesn't line the pockets of someone. There should be a nominal charge, which is much more in line with the realistic prices of the accommodation offered. I think Norway, a notoriously expensive country, charged £50 a night for their equivalent hotel quarantine. A figure in that ballpark feels about right, so a couple who get stung with a red list change are looking at a 500 quid bill (manageable for most) and not close to 4 grand (not manageable for most)

The same logic applies to the PCR tests. There is absolutely no justification to be charging £50+ for a single test, and again pushes people to bending rules.
Cap the price, make it a more nominal amount and people will mostly accept that this is par for the course of travelling abroad.
Also, after so long, why aren't airports geared up for rapid PCR testing on arrival? We've had 18 months to implement this and although it might not be feasible at somewhere like Heathrow/Manchester, it should be up and running in the regional airports as a minimum.
Again, charge a nominal fee and get people tested immediately on arrival, if this is the route the Government are wanting to go down again.

Unfortunately the only winner in all this is gonna be these cowboy private testing companies, who can have our collective pants down again for at least another 3 weeks.
 
Is everybody’s booster jab appearing on their NHS Covid app yet?
Had the booster 8 days ago and nothing is showing yet.

Luckily we don’t plan to go abroad for another few months but I can see this being a nightmare to sort out if we leave it too long and the record doesn’t automatically update.
 
RobMCFC said:
Is everybody’s booster jab appearing on their NHS Covid app yet?
Had the booster 8 days ago and nothing is showing yet.

Luckily we don’t plan to go abroad for another few months but I can see this being a nightmare to sort out if we leave it too long and the record doesn’t automatically update.
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Mine is.
Had it 17 days ago.
 
We were banned anyway but in a throwback to March 2020 memories, Morocco have banned all flights for 2 weeks.
Follows on from Israel only permitting their citizens to travel to Israel.

This feels like it could unravel fast again; hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
Next 3 weeks or so are going to be crucial to see where this is all heading from a travel perspective.
 
I have just cancelled our LFT tests that would have been awaiting our return on Saturday morning. We now have to wait and see where and when we can get a PCR test between Saturday morning and Sunday night. It would have made far more sense to allow, lets say for a week, those with previously booked LFT to come into the country using those and then back it up with an NHS PCR test on day 2-still self isolating till the results arrive.
 
hampshireblue said:
I have just cancelled our LFT tests that would have been awaiting our return on Saturday morning. We now have to wait and see where and when we can get a PCR test between Saturday morning and Sunday night. It would have made far more sense to allow, lets say for a week, those with previously booked LFT to come into the country using those and then back it up with an NHS PCR test on day 2-still self isolating till the results arrive.
Click to expand...

That would've made perfect sense.
Which is exactly why they aren't doing it ;)

Great pic of the young lad, enjoy the rest of your time in the Caribbean.
(forecast for up to -10 here this week, you'll be delighted to know!)
 
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