Day 5 Test to Release - Has anyone done it?

[pommedeterre]

Organising a work trip to Amber country for end July. Have ordered days 2 and 8 tests for afterwards this am and booked pre departure test yesterday.

To do day 5 test to release how does it work? Any experiences anyone can share? If its a postal one then actual confirmation of negative result will be day 6/7 if I'm correct? Some clinics seem to be offering in person appointments for day 5 test to release which means breaking quarantine I think?

Test to release doesn’t make much sense if you do it by post. You can’t take the test before Day 5. If you then put it in the post, it won’t arrive until Day 6 and you won’t get the results until Day 7, soonest, and it might not be until Day 8.

Doing it in person with guaranteed same day results means you will get out on the evening of Day 5. It does not break quarantine. You are allowed to attend a test centre to get tested.

Thanks BiggestJulie - that's good news that it doesn't break quarantine, I will be booking an appointment for day 5 am then!

Does anyone know about the before test? Is it 48 hours or 72 hours from time of departure of flight or from time of arrival of flight in the country of arrival?

Whilst I actually think it is good thing that international travel isn't super easy currently now that I actually have to I am finding it a minefield!

I returned from an amber country on Friday. The rules for testing beforehand will depend on which country you're going to, but most likely arrival. In my case (Portugal), I had:

• An antigen test within 24 hours of arriving in Portugal;

-A PCR test within 72 hours of landing back in England (this was overkill; I think I only needed an antigen); -A day 2 or before test (interestingly, you can have this at the airport as soon as you get off the plane); -A day five test to release at midday on day 5 (the day of arrival being day 0). Results were back at 9pm.

I still need to have the day 8 test.

Booked all mine through Collinson and they've been great. I think they're the only company who will guarantee same day results on day 5. There are lots of discount codes for 20% off.

You don't actually need to book the day 5 before you go/come back. As long as you say you're going to and name your provider. Obvs you do have to have the booking references for days 2 and 8 though.

Thank you nowlook! That helps massively for day 5 info. I have booked days 2 and 8 already and had also noticed that day 2 could be done before day 2, bit weird but helpful for making sure you have a negative result for day 5.

I need to have a fit to fly certificate for the country Im going to showing a negative in 48 hour window - test currently booked for 47 hours before departure. Think I need to alter!

Definitely don't pay for the day5 test to release in advance if you can help it, e.g. if going to do it in person, because if your day 2 test comes back positive, or indeed that of any close contact on the flight, you can't then do test to release.

@nowlook was the antigen test you had to allow you to fly out to Portugal? If so, could you tell me which manufacturer Collinson use?

[quote Littleone638]@nowlook was the antigen test you had to allow you to fly out to Portugal? If so, could you tell me which manufacturer Collinson use?[/quote]
Yes, definitely antigen. I don't know the manufacturer, unfortunately. I had it done in person at the East Midlands testing centre and no manufacturer is named on either the booking or the results certificate.

I'm back there at lunchtime for the final day 8 test so will ask!

@nowlook

I returned from an amber country on Friday. The rules for testing beforehand will depend on which country you're going to, but most likely arrival. In my case (Portugal), I had:

• An antigen test within 24 hours of arriving in Portugal;

-A PCR test within 72 hours of landing back in England (this was overkill; I think I only needed an antigen); -A day 2 or before test (interestingly, you can have this at the airport as soon as you get off the plane); -A day five test to release at midday on day 5 (the day of arrival being day 0). Results were back at 9pm.

I still need to have the day 8 test.

Booked all mine through Collinson and they've been great. I think they're the only company who will guarantee same day results on day 5. There are lots of discount codes for 20% off.

You don't actually need to book the day 5 before you go/come back. As long as you say you're going to and name your provider. Obvs you do have to have the booking references for days 2 and 8 though.

Can I be really cheeky and ask what sort of prices you have had to pay for the tests to go to Portugal?