Support thread for those with family abroad

[Schulte]

Anyone interested in a support thread for those of us who have family abroad, and don't know if we can see them this year? I had started to feel all positive and optimistic about going back to my home country this summer to see my parents, but it's now looking far from certain and I'm feeling increasingly depressed.

I thought maybe we can cheer each other up and share the latest on border openings, how and where to get tests for travel, etc.

Anyone?

We are all fully vaccinated but to travel from Belgium currently involves 10 days quarantine each way, plus about 150 euros each for tests to enter U.K. I can't even remember now if we have to be tested coming back as the rules seem to change weekly. Much as I'd love to see my family it's just not worth the trip.

Bloody hell, I didn’t think the tories could make me any angrier.

Ok I won’t send kier an angry letter then. It’s so disappointing not to have an effective opposition but something I’ve become used to after so so so long.

Will there be a major upset when people realise that Eu residents are going to have free movement back on 1st July (corona pass notwithstanding). I heard a headline read this morning on the radio saying that the restrictions are in place ‘to allow time for Europe to catch up on vaccinatios’🤨 erm, what now?? The Eu will be more open on 1st July.

I’m considering cancelling our trip and waiting to see if the test requirements are eased at all.

My deepest sympathy to those with family so far away 😔

This is getting beyond funny and a bit sinister. I’m really starting to worry that the world is in the hands of some nasty and greedy, power happy individuals who are above the law themselves but perfectly happy to ruin the lives of the rest of us. This news with Gove makes me feel sick, it’s all out there in the open and yet still most people nod obligingly and carry on allowing themselves to be imprisoned. Just look at the french scandals where a bunch of ministers were discovered unmasked, not social distancing and sitting inside supposedly closed restaurants while the rest of us stayed at home and restaurants owners struggled to keep their homes! I’ve lost all respect for it now. It needs to end. I’m sorry to say it but covid is now the dominant flu strain and we need to live with it.

Sick of not seeing my family for so long. I drove past a guy working out in his garden yesterday who just happened to have the same cuddly physique as my lovely father and to my complete surprise I started to cry. It’s not only conscious me that recognises my sadness, my subconscious is sad too. I say again, this needs to end.

Sinister certainly is the right word.

What are people thinking from a British perspective?

I mean here, we've been careful and worn masks etc but we've had schools and shops open throughout, and now people are happily planning their holidays. We have around the same daily cases as the UK but nowhere near the amount of vaccinations, but people seem absolutely terrified and support for the government is going up despite scandal after scandal, like they're suffering a collective stockholm syndrome.

Or is that just how it comes across on MN/from my ILs?

For me it started changing and becoming sinister when the vaccine rollout was faster than the Eu, so January until April. Before then it was plain incompetence. But since pretty much anything is accepted without question because ‘the vaccine rollout’. One minister said in the last few days that Europe is ‘dangerous’. Again, wtf? It’s simply not true. But it’s been like that since January. I simply do not understand why there is an absolute lack of enquiry by the media over why the fuck Eu residents can safely travel over the summer and British cannot despite having more vaccines given. The Danes are basically back to normal planning their trips to Greece (mostly) and having bbqs on the beach (glorious here today). Masks will be gone by end of June, and the corona pass will be gone domestically end of August (data allowing). By contrast, a British minister said that testing to enter the U.K. was here ‘for the long term’ (didn’t say how long or why) - the rationale and duration was left very vague. Sinister as fuck.

Sorry for derailing this thread with anger once again. I am just so very angry about this.

Let me guess, Gove is using the free LFTs from the NHS? God forbid HE get ripped off on testing.

We've cancelled our long-awaited June trip to the US and instead will be combining it with the 2020 September roll over trip in September (we have event tickets) because I refuse to pay for two sets of testing in a 10 week time period and the stress of trying to plan all the moving parts and the ongoing govt hokey pokey was making me angry and depressed. My parents were looking forward to all three adult children home together for the first time in 12 years and well, thanks FCDO and the UK govt for making that nigh-on impossible.

I know there is a risk to there being NO travel in September but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Whomever said this is starting to feel more sinister has it spot on.

@UberMullet

Schulte, when I read the previous guidelines, it was no travelling from U.K. unless a french resident or imperative reasons. I'm British, but in Belgium, and I understand it I could travel into France without quarantine as travelling from EU country. It's all as clear as mud.

Ah, thanks for that. Although the form you have to fill in seemed to suggest that travelling through France in transit is allowed. Agree it’s really not clear!

Don’t get me started on Gove! That’s cool then, I’ll also do the LFTs instead of quarantine, thank you very much.

Seriously thinking of moving back to the continent, I’m so fed up with the British government.

@lostinacloud Do you know whether the vaccination requirement coun5s for single jabs or only fully vaccinated?

Also does anyone know what measures are in place in July to stop people from, for instance, entering Spain (presuming they continue to welcome visitors without quarantine) and then driving to France? I mean, they'll check passports of course, but how on earth can they know who's been in Spain for six weeks and who flew in yesterday? Surely they won't make quarantine mandatory for all British passport holders irrespective of circumstances?

It's all so messy and full of holes, I quite honestly think that from July the EU will have to either declare a blanket ban on British travellers entering without quarantine, or treat the UK as part of the EU for travel purposes and just require tests or vaccinations. And with countries like Spain and Portugal so economically dependent on British tourism, I can't see them doing the former.

@QuimReaper, I agree, it is a huge mess and I think there are a great deal of issues to be ironed out. I don’t think there is much control between EU countries even now. I have friends travelling regularly between Germany and France for example who, until June 9th and they are fully vaccinated, technically still need a negative test to travel. However, they haven’t been stopped and asked for it once.
I do know that France consider fully vaccinated to be both doses OR if you’ve previously had covid then France consider you fully vaccinated after one dose and you should be able to update the health pass with the QR from just one dose. I don’t know if other EU countries have the same idea.

@lostinacloud How does one prove they've already had COVID though?

[quote QuimReaper]@lostinacloud How does one prove they've already had COVID though? [/quote]
You can get a test done to probe you’ve antibodies (Elisa is called)

Yes, you can pay for an antibody test in France for around 45€ or if you had a test at the time, I think you can show the email test results

Oh that's interesting! Does anyone know yet how long the antibodies are detectable? My mum had what was almost certainly covid in April 2020, when testing was practically non-existent, but I wonder whether antibodies would still be detectable 15-odd months later.

Just seen on the news:

*Times this morning- the biosecurity centre recommended Malta and a host of other islands to go GREEN. And recommended that Portugal only be put on a watchlist as it was borderline"

But it was blocked by Matt Hancock*

So much for "following the science"

Surely if we are following the science when it's telling us we can't travel, we should be following it when it tells us we can.

I feel so fucking livid. Absolutely livid.

twitter.com/jrabrewer/status/1401446670655700992?s=20

Jason Brewer #SaveOurSummer #SOSTurismo #RejoinEU
@jrabrewer
Extraordinary revelations in The Times this morning- the biosecurity centre recommended Malta and a host of other islands to go GREEN. And recommended that Portugal only be put on a watchlist as it was borderline. The despicable
@MattHancock
fought with Shapps to keep (1/3)
8:51 AM · Jun 6, 2021·Twitter for Android
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Jason Brewer #SaveOurSummer #SOSTurismo #RejoinEU
@jrabrewer
·
8h
Replying to
@jrabrewer
everything amber, backed by the equally contemptable
@pritipatel
and
@michaelgove
. This is a scandal of epic proportions- 1 thing is to follow overly cautious scientific advice on travel, but it is quite another to ignore your own scientists for your own political motives (2/3)
Jason Brewer #SaveOurSummer #SOSTurismo #RejoinEU
@jrabrewer
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8h
Thanks to the actions of these 3 morons, millions of jobs have been put under threat. Matt Hancock should resign immediately if these reports are true #SaveTravel (3/3

www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9656797/amp/Matt-Hancock-accused-killing-British-travel-abroad-forcing-Portugal-holiday-amber-list.html

Sorry for the Daily Mail link but it's also in the Times but behind a paywall.

Can I add, Germany currently has an incidence of less than 25 in 100,000, and numbers are still falling, so should absolutely also go on the green list. Which, in turn, might prompt germany to be less strict about travel in the other direction too. The whole thing is a farce.

I’m waiting and waiting for better news...

I was hoping there may be some serious questions asked about this but Harry and Meghan have had another baby now so I guess I'm shit out of luck on that one....

Disclaimer, I've no issue with H and M and any new baby is good news and I'm happy for them, this is a joke.

I've only just realised (only person on the planet) that only kids under 4 are not needed to be tested when returning to the UK. I was obviously aware of the 3 categories but must have been reading the old gov page which states kids under 10 don't need to test. Feel like a bloody fool now. Even if my country will be put in green eventually , the cost of testing for the 3 of us will cripple me.
I know everyone is in the same boots but I am so upset. Fuck this shit!

Morning all, been lurking on this thread. Have bitten the bullet and decided to go ahead with planned trip to uk from France! The paperwork and hoops are daunting, but wading through it. Going to cost nearly 400 pounds for tests in the UK and hate that i am lining the pockets of these companies and that it is so unfair to people who cant afford that.
Just got much easier now for when i come back, wont have to quarantine or do another test ( free in France).