Test to return to UK but son had covid 3 weeks before

[SHE1234]

Hello, I'm hoping someone can help me because I've been searching for ages and found nothing!

We are due to go to Madeira in August and I'm worried about my 11 year old son having his 'return-to-uk test' done out there because it will show as positive, simply because he's just had covid (no symptoms but it spread around his year 6 group at the end of term).

I know that there's an EU certificate but it's not good to us as we're no longer in the EU. Has anyone heard or seen of anything we can do please? I'm wondering if it's just best to cancel the holiday...

Thank you.

[SHE1234]

@Mia85 thank you for the link. I hadn't see that one. It's just so frustrating isn't it? I also don't want to spend my whole holiday worrying about the test to go home. I wish we hadn't booked it

[Mia85]

Just seen a similar thread from a couple of days ago if you are interested OP www.mumsnet.com/Talk/holidays/4296944-12-yo-has-symptoms-pcr-booked-travel-after-question

Given the number of children who've had covid at the end of term plus the fact that in 90 days they'll be back at school, this seems to mean that thousands of families are going to have to take a massive gamble if they want to go away this year. Not seen anything at all about it in the news or govt pages.

[Mia85]

We're in exactly the same situation. DD tested positive (but completely asymptomatic) towards the end of term. Has been testing negative on LF for several days. We're just finishing our isolation and had to miss our UK holiday so were looking at booking to go abroad (as everything decent in UK seem to be booked) but we're really worried about this. Main worry is that on the test to return she'll test positive and will have to go to hotel quarantine and delay the flights home even though we know it's because of the previous infection. Some of the places we are looking at need a pcr before travelling and again we're thinking there's a reasonable chance she'll be positive so we don't seem to be able to go despite the fact that it's a well recognised problem. Not sure we'd be insured in either situation if we've booked the holiday after her infection.

There must be thousands of families in this situation and I've no idea what to do.

[SHE1234]

It truly is a black hole that I can't believe hasn't been thought of! There must be thousands of people affected by it, especially now we're in peak holiday season.

[bubbleteatea]

Ooooh I see @CeeceeBloomingdale I thought perhaps there is something similar for here

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

@bubbleteatea

I am not sure what the rules are for Madeira but I know for example in some countries, you have either provide a negative test or prove you have tested positive within three months of your travel - it essentially counts as inoculation somehow and then you are not required to test. If you have his original positive test which is dated, would that be enough perhaps? Proving he had it way before the travel date?

It's the rules for returning to the UK OP is discussing and no, the proof of recent infection is not accepted. It's a black hole in legislation.

[bubbleteatea]

I am not sure what the rules are for Madeira but I know for example in some countries, you have either provide a negative test or prove you have tested positive within three months of your travel - it essentially counts as inoculation somehow and then you are not required to test. If you have his original positive test which is dated, would that be enough perhaps? Proving he had it way before the travel date?

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

That link doesn't exist for travel sadly OP, the government have forgotten about those who had recently tested positive.

[SHE1234]

Thank you all for your replies.

I haven't tested him again because we're still doing his 10 days isolation. I was going by, when I had covid, work told me not to do twice weekly LFTs for 90 days in case of covid still being in my body. I assumed, obviously incorrectly, that this was the case for everyone.

Maybe I'll hold my horses on cancelling/changing the flights and test him for the next few days to see.

What I was really hoping for was someone to say about a link to the government website with a little bit of info about previously infected people 😂

[Passthecake30]

Someone I know tested positive for 4 months on a pcr so I understand why you’re worried.

[WatfordGap]

Have you tested him now?

[OrangeBananaFish]

I tested positive on Monday (I had symptoms) on a PCR. Yesterday I tested negative on LFT so tested today and still negative. He might not test positive.

Obvs I'm still isolating until my 10 days are up.

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

A lateral flow (not NHS) looks fine for return but I'd test with an NHS one now to check he's negative before you go.

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

How do you know it will show positive? Lots of people are negative quickly, only some will test positive for up to 90 days. What sort of test you you need to do? My DC tested strongly positive on a lateral flow and then PCR but was negative on a LFT test on day 11. We didn't test between those times so no idea when it changed. The travel advice doesn't seem to account for those recently recovered and tests are still required. Can you do a LFT now to see how it reads?