children doing day 2 tests

[susankennard]

Hi there, I am travelling with my two kids to corfu on Tuesday. When we get back i have to isolate but they don't. they will be returning to school the day after we come back. However they still app have to do a day 2 test. How does that make sense ?

Why do you have to isolate? Not jabbed?
You're right though it would appear they don't.
But tbf they couldn't have got themselves vaccinated. You could have, unless you are young and still waiting for jab 2 in which case that's very unlucky.

ps everyone has to do a day 2 test I think the point is so that they can keep track of any dodgy variants coming into the UK regardless of whether you're coming from a red amber or green country.
I don't agree with it, but I think that is the rationale

What do you mean? Why doesn’t it make sense?
We had a similar situation last week. Got back on the Tuesday, kids back to school on Wednesday. We had postal Day 2 tests so we did them on Wednesday morning and sent them off (all negative).
Why do you have to isolate? Are you not vaccinated?

It just doesn’t make sense as if my kids r positive, which they won’t be but if they r then they would have been back at school on the day 2 or even day 1. I as the parent is not jabbed so I totally am fine with isolating as I run a business from home but the kids it’s weird. They sleep in the same hotel room etc yet don’t need to isolate. Can go out go to school etc. Anyway I am ranting.

Do we need to prove buying day two tests before flying or can we get when we arrive home or even buy whilst in the hotel ?

You need to have ordered it in advance of filling in your passenger locator form online before returning to the UK, as the form asks for the order reference.

I have just flown back from Spain if you have any other questions.

@susankennard
But they are no more likely to be positive just because they went on holiday!
Under 18s and vaccinated adults are exempt for quarantine. Others aren’t.

If you have to isolate then so do your children. They are only except if you are vaccinated.

@roses2

If you have to isolate then so do your children. They are only except if you are vaccinated.

This is true. Children follow the same rules as their parents, so if you’re not vaccinated then they also have to isolate. We have just come back from Spain. You have to fill out a passenger locator form within the 48 hours before you return to the U.K., and this has to have the booking number for your Day 2 tests on.

False

Under 18 do not have to isolate regardless of parents vaccine status

Quarantine and testing requirements for children - gov uk site
Age of child Self-isolation Pre-departure test Day 2 test
4 and under no no no
5 to 10 no no yes
11 to 17 no yes yes

Children resident in the UK, British Overseas Territories, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, USA or a recognised European country
The recognised European countries are the EU countries, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or the Vatican City.

Children of all ages who are resident in these countries or territories do not have to quarantine.

If they are aged 4 and under they do not have to take any COVID-19 travel tests.

11 to 17 year olds must take a:

COVID-19 pre-departure test before travelling to England
day 2 test on or before day 2 in England – arrival day is day 0

no reference at all to parents having to be vaccinated

news.sky.com/story/covid-19-quarantine-scrapped-for-fully-vaccinated-adults-returning-from-amber-list-countries-from-19-july-12351524

Sorry, my mistake.

They only ask for the reference number for the adult day 2 test on the UK PLF so I wouldn’t bother getting the kids one

They have changed the rules without the news alerting of the change (again!). Previously children would follow the same rules as the parents but now it looks like children don't have to isolate regardless. So confusing!

I'm flying back on Wednesday so will report back on whether they check if I've bought the kids pcr test (I have).

They didn’t check my kids

Got back last night. They asked for passenger locator form before I departed. On arrival they only asked for passports. They didn't even look at the pre departure tests and asked nothing about the kids day 2 test.

What a waste of money. I won't bother with tests for them next time.