Anyone been to / going to Greek islands?

[Twobigsapphires]

Due to holiday on Greek Island in 2 weeks. Really anxiety inducing, anyone in the area boat or can offer reassurance?

[GrealishHairband]

That would be great @ShiteheadRevisited if you don’t mind. How far in advance did you arrange your swabs?

[name6785]

Kos. We will be double vaxxed so it'll only be airport LFTs and PCR on return, but I just don't know atm, I'm mostly nervous if it goes red.

[ShiteheadRevisited]

@GrealishHairband

That would be great *@ShiteheadRevisited* if you don’t mind. How far in advance did you arrange your swabs?

I have ordered "green" packages at £20 each from Chronomics via Tui - these each consist of:

• UK return pre-departure later flow test (should get them in post any day now and we take them with us and do them ourselves 3 days before we leave)

• Inbound PCR test for Day 2 of return (these get dispatched the day before we depart Crete, should be on our doormat when we retyrn ready for us to do on day 2)

No testing requirement before you get on the plane out there, but have heard you might get a lateral flow test at airport on arrival, but can't find any info to say if this is true or not! We've done our Passenger Locator Forms too and will get a QR code to use in conjunction with the forms at midnight on Saturday.

[GrealishHairband]

@ShiteheadRevisited aye we’re booked with Tui also. Just wondered how far in advance you sorted them. It’s still 4.5 weeks until we’re due to fly and may well end up cancelling yet so just wondering if it’s something I should be sorting now.

[ShiteheadRevisited]

[quote GrealishHairband]@ShiteheadRevisited aye we’re booked with Tui also. Just wondered how far in advance you sorted them. It’s still 4.5 weeks until we’re due to fly and may well end up cancelling yet so just wondering if it’s something I should be sorting now.[/quote]
Oh sorry! Misunderstood. I ordered them on Friday night just gone and we are going this Sunday (our travel agent recommended about a week ahead of departure)

[PlumpCushion]

@FizzyPink surely it’d be even worse testing positive on arrival at the airport?! Then you’d not even get a holiday. If I had a positive result before returning to the Uk I’d just try to extend my holiday and find an apartment to quarantine in.

[FizzyPink]

@PlumpCushion I’m not sure that’s quite how it works. Every video I’ve seen of that scenario so far has had them picked up by ambulance and taken to a specific quarantine hotel and parties split up and given a room each. So I don’t think it’s a case of just extending your holiday and isolating.

I’ll be taking my work laptop so I can work from anywhere but not being able to come home for another 2 weeks would be totally disastrous for self employed DP who has clients who are unhappy with him being away for 10 days as it is.

[GrealishHairband]

@ShiteheadRevisited thank you, plenty of time yet then

[PlumpCushion]

Oh dear Fizzy. That doesn’t sound good.

[Greeceplease]

I'm hopefully heading off on Saturday and don't really have any concerns other than the PCR result coming back on time and being negative so we can actually get on the plane. We're going to Zykanthos and the rates there are v low so better to be there then here methinks,

[Serenschintte]

We came on Thursday back from Santorini and Naxos. Flew back to Switzerland as live there but found the following.
As long as you carefully read what is required and do it the process is smooth.
After getting off the plane at passport control they want to see the QR code from the entry form and your negative tests.
You now need tests for the ferries. Santorini to Naxos they didn’t check is but they did on the way back. So have those ready.
If you can book your tests three days before you need them rather than turn up and wait.
The rest of the holiday was lovely. Relaxing and sunny and it wasn’t too busy.

[Greeceplease]

@GrealishHairband

That would be great *@ShiteheadRevisited* if you don’t mind. How far in advance did you arrange your swabs?

Hi. What are the swabs you mention? Am I right in thinking that as I'm double jabbed, i don't need to test to get on the outbound plane - just need to fill in the passenger locator form. My 14 year old needs to do a PCR test up to 72 hours before the flight. That's it isn't it?? Where do the swabs come in?? And other people have mentioned lateral flow tests. Again, where do they come in?

[GrealishHairband]

I thought the double jabbed just related to the not having to isolate on your return and not regarding the testing which remains in place. But I might be wrong.

[FizzyPink]

Yes, if you’re double jabbed you need an antigen/lateral flow to come home and then a PCR on day 2. You need to have arranged your day 2 test before you fly home as you have to put the reference number on your passenger locator form

[Greeceplease]

Many thanks for letting me know about pre-booking the lateral flow test. I didn't know that.

[Greeceplease]

@FizzyPink

Yes, if you’re double jabbed you need an antigen/lateral flow to come home and then a PCR on day 2. You need to have arranged your day 2 test before you fly home as you have to put the reference number on your passenger locator form

Do I do the lateral flow/antigen in Greece? They had an article in The Sunday Times about what you needed to do to go to different countries. Didn't mention any of this 😡

[FizzyPink]

Yes, I believe some companies offer the option to do it via video call or just find a clinic while you’re out there. This page is good for lots of clear info if you scroll down to the different colours although of course the rules seem to be changing all the time www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/#trafficlight

[imadeitnice]

I arrived in Greece yesterday with my teen. Plane was less than half full, airport both ends extremely quiet. Teen got tested on arrival as did every other non vaccinated passenger. Results were given within five minutes. So far, definitely worth the stress.

[ArabellaPilkington]

Following with interest! Due to go to Crete in a couple of weeks.

Went to Majorca a week or so ago with a friend, both double vaxxed and process was fine. My top tip is to print out the NHS Covid pass and the QR code for the PLF for the country, as in Majorca they wanted to see these in quick succession so was much easier than scrolling between apps on a phone.
We booked PCR test for day after we landed back in UK - Day 2 test means Day 0-2, we wanted to do it at Gatwick when we landed but place shut at 6pm. So went to O2 the next day - massive car park, lanes, loads of staff. We were the only customers there 🤣

Easy to do antigen test in Majorca - just walked into a medical Center near hotel and did it there and then flat fee of €30 across Spain.

I'm also a little worried about unvaccinated teens showing a positive on landing even if negative two days before we go!!

[99victoria]

We went to Kefalonia a couple of weeks ago - absolutely no regrets. In fact, we have booked to go back in September. I sorted all our paperwork in advance and we had a copy each and sailed through at the airport, exactly as normal. Airports were quiet both ends.
We were all tested at airport on arrival and text our results within 30 minutes. It was a nose swab only - no throat swab.
After that our holiday was pretty normal. On the last day we had to go and get a pre-flight test (another nose swab only) and wait an hour for our result. Very straightforward. I am part of a SM group for the island and apparently there haven't been any positive cases from Britain on arrival or departure tests.
I suppose in the end it comes down to how anxious you are. I don't tend to focus on the what-ifs - I've had a lot of very stressful situations in my life and have had to learn to manage them so my tolerance for worst-case scenarios is high.
I am so glad we went, we had a fantastic time

[Anjelika]

Hopefully flying to Rhodes in just over a week. Just one of us (teen) needs to test before flying. Can't find local option for on the spot test so having to send off and hope result is back in time and negative.

Have got Day 2 PCR tests at home waiting for when we get back and know there is a centre in the town we're staying for getting tests done to fly back.

Main stress is keeping kids Covid free before we go. Don't want to tell teen to stay at home for a week but am encouraging him to wear mask when out.

Now worried after reading this thread about what would happen if someone on our flight tests positive on arrival. Will do lateral flow tests on all of us the day before we fly so no horrid surprises when we get there if we get tested at the airport. Wasn't aware that was happening until I saw this thread.

Can't believe that going abroad last summer was way way simpler.

[Greeceplease]

Just checking - are the Day 2 Covid tests that you can do at hime OK ie it's not a requirement to go to an actual clinic?

[Greeceplease]

Last question; does a 14 year old need to do the Day 2 test?

[Viviennemary]

Greece is stressful enough in August without adding Covid to the mix. Far far too hot. And really poor sanitary conditions. Gave up going there a few years ago. Cancel if it's an option.

[WhiteChocTwix]

www.atoz-guides.com/coronavirus-in-greece-update/ and www.keeptalkinggreece.com/ are both useful websites for keeping up to date with the situation in the islands. As is the trip advisor forum for Greece.

Would just echo what others have said. Plan out what tests you need, have all paperwork together and printed if possible. Do a lateral flow before you go if double vaxxed so no nasty surprises with airport testing when you land. Also good idea to take work laptop if possible. We had an amazing trip to Mykonos and Naxos, it was like paradise after a long UK winter!