Isn't a pcr 72 hrs before travel a bit pointless?

[TheSaucepanMan]

I know obviously some who take it will be positive and therefore will know before they would have travelled but surely your pcr result is only as good for the day you were swabbed?

Wouldn't a lateral flow test on the day of travel be better? Not that it will ever happen.

Yes. I guess it’s about minimising risk, not eliminating it.

Lateral flow tests are well known for giving false negatives and many HCPs who are administering them tell the people that they are next to useless. In lots of places, a negative LFT won't get you a pass. I had students due to take exams last week and the exam place would only accept PCRs due to the unreliability of LFTs

I think some countries are now insisting on both but even that is not fool proof.

I think we have to be realistic about test results. In many countries it is cheap and easy to obtain false documents showing anything. Authentic looking Negative Covid tests certificates can be bought online. And In some countries it is easy to pay for a negative result even if the test was positive.

Sad. But true.

Well they can't make you take a PCR test on the day of travel, nor the day before as it might not be done in time.
2 days before and it should be back, but it's cutting it a bit fine, so I guess 3 days is the latest they can mandate it for.

LF tests are NOT designed to be used as green-light tests

I don't know I think the while thing is ridiculous but I LOVE your username !

@YarnOver

I don't know I think the while thing is ridiculous but I LOVE your username !

those carefree days when reading the Faraway Tree was the only thing you had to care about!

Slightly off at a tangent but I've not been able to understand the point of the day 2 PCR test when you return from travelling. You have to take a test to get onto the plane then you take a test on day 2. Obviously if that's positive you have to isolate and if it's negative you have to ..... isolate. Then you have to take another test several days later before you're allowed to come out of quarantine so what is the purpose of the Day 2 test (apart from making lots of money for someone obviously)

@99victoria

Slightly off at a tangent but I've not been able to understand the point of the day 2 PCR test when you return from travelling. You have to take a test to get onto the plane then you take a test on day 2. Obviously if that's positive you have to isolate and if it's negative you have to ..... isolate. Then you have to take another test several days later before you're allowed to come out of quarantine so what is the purpose of the Day 2 test (apart from making lots of money for someone obviously)

Probably to do with the fact that they do contact tracing for the 48 hours before a positive result. So if you test positive on day 2 they can contact those you had contact with while travelling.

Are you meant to isolate from when you have the test to when you fly though? Although I know you might catch it at the airport

@SleepingStandingUp

Are you meant to isolate from when you have the test to when you fly though? Although I know you might catch it at the airport

Not that I'm aware of.

Ah ok, DS has to take th for something else and has to isolate f9r when he takes it to when he goes