Bloody Borris!

[NotTheBaby]

Due to go on holiday on Monday. Announcements made tonight but travel agents not open tomorrow. No idea when the new rules start, government website still says the old rules. I’ve got Lateral Flow tests already but now they’re a complete waste of money and I have to spend hundreds of pounds (which I don’t have spare!) buying PCR tests to replace them. I know we have to protect the country, and I know it’s my own fault for travelling during a pandemic, but I wish they’d decide what they’re doing and then announce it with all the details rather than this stressful drip feed 😭

[HelplesslyHoping]

Just don't go x

[WhenSepEnds]

@daisypond

Aren’t they free?

No, you have to pay for them. Definitely not free.

That's weird. They are free in Scotland and readily available. Do you only have to pay for them in England?

[Sparklingbrook]

It's more a case of 'bloody virus' than 'bloody Boris', unless he invented this new variant or something.

[EileenGC]

@Dogmum40 I've used NWP for months now. £15 for an LFT (not useful anymore) and £40 for a PCR. Results have normally been pretty quick, 24-36h from posting, priority postbox.

I believe they're based in Leicester and you can get an even quicker turnaround if dropping off at their lab.

@WhenSepEnds normal LFTs to do at home are free. Travel LFTs aren't free.

[NotTheBaby]

To everyone saying it’s the virus and not borris, totally agree the virus is obviously the issue! But changing the rules on a Saturday night and then no clarification or expansion beyond ‘you need a PCR’ is definitely his fault. If they’re changing the rules, they need to let us know what the new ones are! I can’t just guess based on one sentence. For example, he said you have to take the test by the end of the second day. But some MPs are saying on the second day, and others are saying anytime between arrival and the second day. This is a massive difference when you have to isolate until you get a negative result?

[Dogmum40]

That’s brilliant thank you! 😀 I’m in derby and we have been told we have to go to travel registered test centre and we have to have the results within 72 hours of departure! So I’ve been on Google and our local one is 120..

We are only going for 4 days so we have to spend it again on return as well as a test in the country we are visiting whilst there! I wanted a refund but it was so much easier to rebook and I now wish I had just stuck to my guns and got the cash back! At this rate it’s going to cost around 600-700 in total on tests alone so any cheaper alternatives are very much appreciated

[SagittariusDwarf]

@NotTheBaby

To everyone saying it’s the virus and not borris, totally agree the virus is obviously the issue! But changing the rules on a Saturday night and then no clarification or expansion beyond ‘you need a PCR’ is definitely his fault. If they’re changing the rules, they need to let us know what the new ones are! I can’t just guess based on one sentence. For example, he said you have to take the test by the end of the second day. But some MPs are saying on the second day, and others are saying anytime between arrival and the second day. This is a massive difference when you have to isolate until you get a negative result?

It's always been the case that the "day 2 test" is to be taken on or before day 2 and that hasn't changed.

The lack of clarity about when the PCR requirement comes in is definitely pants.

[Thewiseoneincognito]

Why book a holiday in a pandemic if you don’t have the money to spare for the necessary tests and haven’t factored in the ever evolving situation? It’s a tough lesson for others to learn from OP. You won’t be the first and certainly won’t be the last caught out by Covid policy changes, no doubt going to get more difficult to navigate as the weeks roll on.

[NotTheBaby]

@Thewiseoneincognito did you read my posts? It’s from last year that rolled over. I have money for the holiday, just not an extra £300+ to spend on PCR tests two days before I fly, that I might not actually need because no one has any information about when the new rules start 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Dogmum40]

Our holiday was booked in 2019 for a 2020 trip and we all know how that turned out so it was re arranged for 2021 and it looks like we are getting into a similar position as last year! We Definitely need a refund this time if it does get cancelled as I genuinely don’t believe it will be 3rd time lucky for us!

We fly out on the 27th December so I guess I’m having to sit tight until things are made much clearer in the coming weeks, I am lucky that I have weeks and not days to arrange things but it’s the self isolation we just can’t do as we land and then my hubby has an important meeting the day after that is in person and not on zoom like normal and can’t be changed to zoom due to the nature of the meeting and he has to attend (if we go into lockdown it will have to change but they are currently meeting face to face due to the seriousness of the issue so he can’t quarantine) think I need to check the travel insurance documents 😞

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

I highly doubt Boris has ordered the new variant in the Black Friday sales.

[AwaAnBileYerHeid]

@WhenSepEnds no, the ones that you get free at chemists etc are not suitable for travel purposes. The ones for travel purposes need to be paid for.

[Whammyyammy]

Not sure Boris is too blame for this new variant? The government were quick off the mark with travel restrictions this time, yet yiu moan. Damned if they do, dammed if they don't....

[PlacidPenelope]

I travelled to the UK the day before they ditched the Day 2 PCR test and I got a PCR test for £29.99, shop around OP.

[fournonblondes]

You obviously need to go with what is in the government site for now. They give you some notice. Also, hardly a drama to book a PCR.

[nancy75]

I’m no fan of Johnson or this government but for once they are doing the right thing & acting quickly. What alternative options are there in this situation? Not getting people to test and ending up back where we were this time last year?

[EmKayEm]

We need to be cancelling all non-essential travel for a while.
Nobody needs to go on a foreign holiday.

[Viviennemary]

I wouldn't consider overseas travel at the moment unless absolutely necessary. Far too much hassle. The airport queues are meant to be horrific.

[Difgkdjfjffjsjs]

@NotTheBaby

No, normal LFTs are free but travelling ones you have to pay for. They come with a code and are checked

I know i took a risk travelling during a pandemic but it was rolled over from last year and we seemed to be doing so much better I went for it. It’s not that I have no money, I’ve just carefully budgeted to afford it (single parent, I need to be careful!) and it’s so close to the end of the month now. I’m not saying we should have months of notice, but a week to get sorted would have been nice

The objective is to reduce infections - it would be pointless if people could flood back into the country for week!

[RunningFromInsanity]

I’m on holiday abroad now, still got another week to go. No big drama ordering PCR tests to be ready when we get home.
A little extra cost, and yes inconvenient to have to self isolate for 3 days but that’s the risk you take to be sitting on a beach in 30degrees instead of a snow storm in the U.K.

[whoopsnomore]

Can we stop calling him "B" - its his "celeb" nickname to make you think he's a nice approachable bloke, when the companies charging 120 plus for a test are the ones run by opportunistic Tory donors pushed through in the VIP lane on a nod and a wink and making millions on the back of everyone's suffering and inconvenience. Our money. Given the funds the NHS and public bodies could have done all of this for a lot less, and more efficiently (and saved all of you many billions). But profiteering chums come first.

[EileenGC]

Nobody needs to go on a foreign holiday.

Still plenty of people who need to travel for work (not conferences or business meetings, actual face-to-face work), people who need to travel for family events or care duties.

The airport queues are meant to be horrific.

I’ve been on 50 flights since the pandemic started, have never stood in a queue for longer than five minutes. Except once, when my local airport didn’t open all the security lanes so we had a 45 min security wait. But then they’re inept like that even outside of Covid times.

[user97533676]

We're almost 2 years deep. You need to factor in these costs.

I wouldn't be (and haven't) booking a holiday if I couldn't afford a test.

[user97533676]

@EmKayEm

We need to be cancelling all non-essential travel for a while.
Nobody needs to go on a foreign holiday.

This. Should have been in place 2 years ago.

[BluebellsGreenbells]

and yes inconvenient to have to self isolate for 3 days but that’s the risk you take to be sitting on a beach in 30degrees instead of a snow storm in the U.K.

Really not helpful.

OP didn’t choose this, things were fine and like she said the rules need clarifying.

I’m in the same boat, bar a free days and happy to do what I need to do, but until they make a proper announcement we’re stuck in limbo.

OP I’m sure flying out will be fine, the return may be expensive!