Concerns over visiting UK

[burningfromtheinside]

I'm due to visit UK to see my family soon, haven't been there for two years due to the pandemic. I live in Italy, in the north, in one of the places hit by COVID at the very beginning in Feb 2020, however despite this, I still personally don't know one person who has contracted it, not even the Delta, no one pre and post vaccination. I have a large network of friends and work in large company ( although we're still WFH) Reading here and hearing from plenty of friends in the UK, so many people seem to have had it there, despite being double vaccinated. I don't know if it's because masks are still mandatory here indoors, or that COVID passports are mandatory for nearly everything, but I can't understand why it's so different. This is making me concerned about coming to UK, I feel like I'll catch it there no matter what. The whole family are Pfizer double vaccinated ( most of Italy is Pfizered, could it be this?!) I wonder if a large proportion of people are not vaccinated there or if because the vaccine program was much earlier in the UK, most people are no longer covered ( I'm in my 50s and was vaccinated in June) Anyway does anyone, like me not know a single person who has had COVID or it is just rife there? I should add I also don't know anyone who is not vaccinated here.

birmingham.gov.uk/info/50231/coronavirus_covid-19/2308/covid-19_lateral_flow_device_lfd_testing_information

First link that popped up when I googled ‘difference between LFT and antigen tests’. They’re the same thing.

Here (Italy) there are:

Test rapidi antigenici- swabby wotsits only done by pharmacists/doctors etc (LFT?) Results automatically registered on national system. (DD did one on holiday as her EU pass hadn't yet been generated) and within an hour the result showed up on her online health service medical notes that we can all access.

Test molecolari- need to be sent somewhere. (PCR?) Results in about 3 days.

Test anticorpi- dunno anyone who's had one but they must be the same all over.

Antigen = LFT, obvs.

I have monthly anticorpi/antibody tests as part of the ONS study. Fascinating!

In the UK we can order free packs of lateral flows to get delivered to our houses and can report them via the website (or not bother I guess). Most people always have some floating around. Great for continued monitoring as they will pick it up (later in the infection that a pcr/moleculare test) but better than nothing. Less good for the one off/I have a sniffle thing people are using them for.

In Italy you have to pay approx €15.

We can register for PCR tests as we needed/advised on the website ourselves, no doctor needed - for the main three symptoms/ZOE/close contacts. Appointments are plentiful as are the centres. Very efficient, results normally back within 48 hours max (in the last two weeks the 10 Ive been involved with back 23-3 hours after).

@Volhhg

No the lateral flow tests are not counted in the our world in data figures used to compare countries. Only PCR tests and antigen tests are (which the UK doesn't use).The UK really does test a huge amount in comparison. And that's coming from someone who despises our government for many many other reasons!

fair point but they (the LFTs which people get round to register)ARE included in the government daily figures for tests done.

It doesn't change the fact that the UK is doing a heck of a lot more testing than other countries.

Test anticorpi- dunno anyone who's had one but they must be the same all over
I've had that one! In fact it's the only one I've had. I was just curious whether I'd had it without realising. I hadn't.

@Bolognesedoc

Test anticorpi- dunno anyone who's had one but they must be the same all over I've had that one! In fact it's the only one I've had. I was just curious whether I'd had it without realising. I hadn't.

Oooh you Emilia- Romagnans and your fancy tests I'd like one as I'm pretty sure I had it very early on- like before 9/3. Or had the weirdest lung affecting flu of my life anyway

I'm in a big city in North Italy and I only know one person who had Covid, which was at the beginning in February last year, sadly they died however they were already ill and elderly.

I've had two tests, about a year ago, both done on the same day. One was the nasopharyngeal swab ( I have no idea if this was a PCR test) followed by an antibody test. I got the lab results on the same day.

I was out in the city centre last night, had my Green Pass ( Covid Passport) checked to go in to a restaurant and bar, other than than life seemed fairly normal. I noticed quite a few 'older' people ( I mean over 40!) still wearing masks outdoors, (us included in the busy areas) but also children under the vaccine age too, they are the ones who are really at risk.