Can someone explain travel + testing for me?

[JoeLikesTofu]

Hi!

I'm considering booking a last minute break at the end of august (malta or balearics - a green list country).

The only thing stopping me at the moment is the thought of my kids having a swab stuck up their noses! (aged 11 and 9)

My kids are quite sensitive and they saw my wife have the nose-swab, she said it felt like it went into her brain so yes the kids are petrified.

Can someone please explain how this works on both sides? I've read the government website, but as with all things government affiliated, it's a little substandard.

What a silly thing for your wife to say. Go and get some lateral flow tests from the pharmacy and test your children regularly. Then they'll get used to it.

I assume your eldest will start secondary in September so they're likely to have to test quite frequently. We do it twice a week

There are companies that offer saliva tests in the uk - halo is one of them. These are pcr tests and can be used for travel.
You would have to ask around in Spain or the Balearics but I know for sure that France offer saliva tests for kids too, I’m sure there would be places for kids to get saliva based tests in most European destinations.

For green that don’t require testing for entry - like Spain

You take lateral flow and upload photo to the provider you booked with and they verify you are negative

You come home to a day 2 covid pcr which you post off

No isolation

Book through tui and they sort the lot for £20pp

With tui they send you the lateral flow which you pack and take with you along with instructions of who to upload photo to

They make sure pcr is at your house when you return

So easy

You can’t just rock up in Menorca and book a test - it has to be approved providers

@Clymene

What a silly thing for your wife to say. Go and get some lateral flow tests from the pharmacy and test your children regularly. Then they'll get used to it.

I assume your eldest will start secondary in September so they're likely to have to test quite frequently. We do it twice a week

The person who gave her the nose swab was a little heavy handed and it went up further than I thought it should (and more than I've seen on tutorial videos). But yes the brain comment in front of the kids was probably not a good idea!

Great idea on getting tests, I think i'll give it a shot rather than waiting to see what happens.

It's just useful to get them used to it. My kids hated them at first but now they barely flinch. I still gag though

I saw Randox are doing a 'green list' kit for £86, which includes predeparture + day 2 test.

Is this good value? all seems like a ripoff to me :D