If you get covid on hols and PCR /LFTs can be positive for 12 weeks post infection how do you get back to U.K.?

[ArtandCoTwin]

Exactly this? Do you have to stay overseas for 12 weeks isolating if you’re still testing positive despite no longer being contagious?

Just to add, I’ve looked at govt, BA, EasyJet etc websites and all say that travellers must have negative LFT/pcr 72hrs before U.K. arrival. There doesn’t seem to be any exemptions if you’ve been ill and are still testing positive.

I don't think there are any exemptions. I am meant to be going away early Oct and have recently had covid and am concerned I won't be able to go anywhere that requires a negative PCR to go, as a result of this. Am double jabbed but the place I want to go will require both jabs plus negative PCR (according to the FCO website). In terms of getting back, you need an antigen test and I don't think they test positive for anything like as long as PCR although I'm not entirely sure.

I'd be ok to quarantine after a positive day 2 PCR test back in the U.K. Not exactly ideal, though.

Unless they change the rules I'd have to assume there's a realistic chance you might get stuck there until you test negative

I think the rules have changed, you just have to prove that you have passed the 10 days since positive test.

@mindymoo where does it say that though? The govt website for England says you need a negative test to board the plane. They suggest Lateral Flow devices may be more likely to give a negative result BUT I know at school when they do the twice weekly LFTs they said not to if you’d had covid in last 12 weeks as they still test positive. They can still attend school as they’re not contagious, just have fragments of the RNA or something. It’s a bit too scientific for me but a concern that you could be stuck somewhere for 3 months. I’d love to find info that says it’s ok to fly after 10 days and you don’t need a negative test.

Happened to a relative. They couldn't travel until producing a negative LFT which took about 3 weeks. They were advised not to bother with PCR as this would keep returning positive. They did have to pay for a fair few LFTs (had to be at private clinic for travel) before returning a negative one.

Some countries allow travel after quarantine period if covid positive but UK did not.

Thanks @Phenoncular did they have to isolate for the whole 3 weeks too? Stay in a COVID hotel etc? Nowhere seems to say what may happen.

No, they were staying with family. Isolated for the 10 days but just couldn't return until they had a negative covid test

You could do one of the tests where you upload photo then someone else could do it

This is how Chronomics work but there are others

Thats interesting question during 1st pandemic there were son young brits trapped in Italy until they tested negative as saw on gmb.

I'm not sure i would risk going abroad

@3asAbird

Thats interesting question during 1st pandemic there were son young brits trapped in Italy until they tested negative as saw on gmb.

I'm not sure i would risk going abroad

I remember this. They kept testing positive for weeks and couldn't leave, despite having recovered from symptomatic illness . At that point they weren't even allowed outside their hotel room . I assume they got home in the end but an awful experience for them

This is the reason we moved our holiday abroad to next year. It wasn't worth the risk for us.

Think they were trapped in quarantine hotel like 2months.

Hopefully laws in most countries prevent covid positive travellers remaining prisoners after 14 days but who knows.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54628221

It’s not the ‘other countries’ though, it’s the U.K. The EU allow ‘recovery certificates’ and shortly the whole Shenzhen region will do but not Britons entering U.K. This recurring positive testing hasn’t been in the news much or raised as an issue. I’ve no idea why the recovery certificate isn’t an option for Brits returning home.

There’s no data I can find about this either other than an article saying 16% take up to 3 months and ‘most’ are negative after 6 weeks. It’d be good to know the likelihood of it taking a week, 2 weeks, a month, 2 months etc following the 10 day isolation. I’m guessing it may depend on the viral load and how ill you are as to how much of the rna fragments are floating about and causing the positive tests. But again, I’ve not seen any data. I suppose gathering data about this won’t be a priority as it seems these rna fragments aren’t contagious so are of no concern to public health, only travellers. As we want to open up the travel industry it would be useful to know this in order to weigh up risk and make informed decisions.