Can all tests for holiday be done at home?

[silkience]

I need tests that we can do at home and not have to take to a "drop box" or store or similar as we seem to live 60 plus miles from the nearest places or clinics, and nowhere near an airport either!

We are going to Greece in two weeks so will need 2 x antigen or pcr for the teens and 4 antigen we can take with us to do in resort before we fly back, plus the day 2 pcr for four of us!

(I think I've got that right DH and I both double jabbed, kids under 18)

Has anyone else done it this way, and can you just upload the result or do you have to send the tests away? There doesn't seem much time to do that!

Any advice gratefully received

PCR have to analysed in a lab so you would need to send them of.

I thought the in resort ones had to be done in the destination country.

Greece - as far as I know you must go to a center to have the antigen test to get back to the Uk. That’s what we had to do when we were in Greece.
I think the Uk may be unusual allowing pcr teats etc at home. Here in Switzerland only the quick tests - the one with results like. Pregnancy test- can be done at home here
All other must be done at a center. There’s a van in my local village.

You can order antigen tests (lateral flow) to do at home from chronomics for before your kids leave uk and for when you’re in resort before coming home.

Randox to day 2 PCR tests for when you’re home. They encourage you to use a Dropbox but fo include an option to post instead.

Chronomics Lateral flow are about £28 each and Randox PCR are around £45

Do you know if chronomics and randox are reliable? It seems like a minefield choosing tests to me and I need to do it now.

I still haven't received my antigen tests from chronomics and we are due to fly to Portugal very early Sunday morning. Have ended up at 3:30 today ordering more tests from c:19 that are due to arrive tomorrow. You can't even speak to anyone at chronomics neither and I have sent two emails

Randox good for day 2 PCR - you need that reference no for your passenger locator form to return. Best value I found

I drive our Randox tests to a drop box but you can post them special delivery instead. You won't get them back as quickly though. A lot of pharmacies do offer PCR tests you can do there (think a lot of Boots do as well as independents) but they are very expensive- £100+ per test.

I dropped our Randox tests off at 3pm and we have results before 10am next day. They took a while to arrive though so don't leave it to the last minute!

You can do LFTs to return to U.K. in your hotel room. You need to do the test via zoom call and then they email a certificate confirmation. Your day 2 tests can be done any time after landing and before 48 hours so we're doing ours in the way home from the airport.

I’ve got a week, I forgot to order them, is that long enough do you think?

Our C:19 antigen tests were very prompt and arrived within a day or so. Just done the test for DS, very clear instructions then you upload a photo of the result against the passport. They send the certificate to fly within 12 hours but maybe sooner.

We’ve taken 4 to take with us for the way back as the process is so easy abs doesn’t rely on a Zoom call.

Haven’t booked day 2 PCR tests for return but you just need the code for the PLF of or the flight home. Reliability of the company is less important for this one!

@Faevern

I’ve got a week, I forgot to order them, is that long enough do you think?

Before you have to take the tests? Should be ok. I ordered ours Sunday. They weren't dispatched until Thursday but arrived the next day (DPD)

Oh that’s good I don’t need to take a test to fly just to leave but wanted to take it with me, we are visiting family in a small village so don’t want to spend time travelling to find one.

Thank you 😊

@Clymene

Zoom call to whom?

@Faevern

Oh that’s good I don’t need to take a test to fly just to leave but wanted to take it with me, we are visiting family in a small village so don’t want to spend time travelling to find one.

Thank you 😊

Oh I'm talking about the Randox PCRs. I ordered my test to leave LFTs from BreatheEasy (discount on BA website) and they arrived within 48 hours!

@Delatron

Which tests are you taking with you and how do you get the results?

I have been very impressed with C:19 if anyone still needing antigen tests. We had the fit to fly certificate within an hour of uploading the test result. Process is really easy. I have 4 to take in our suitcase for return home.

@JayAlfredPrufrock - the company you buy the test from. So you book a day for the test when you buy the tests and then book a time slot when you get your tests. They send you a zoom link and they watch you administer the tests over zoom (nasal swab only - no tonsils!). Well, that's what we're doing. We're somewhere fairly remote and I thought it was safer to go with an English company and take tests with us.

Sorry crossed post @JayAlfredPrufrock

The test is a lateral flow as we are going to Greece so DS 12 needs this.

I did the test. Took a picture of the negative result alongside a picture of his passport. Within an boot we have the fit to fly certificate emailed. This is for Greece though. Other countries may need PCR done.

Oh that sounds fab. Which company?

Then we’ll do the same for the return home for all of us. 4 lateral flow tests. Take photos, upload and get the certificates. So no need to Zoom.

It’s C:19. They’ve been great so far.

Within an hour we had the fit to fly certificate tonight. There was a typo in my post!

What about the PLF?

Thanks so much for all the replies, @Delatron that sounds like option I need, when are you due to fly? I'm thinking the c:19 antigen tests for fit to fly and before return home, and I am less stressed about the day 2 being a pcr as I can send that off without the stress of having a flight to catch!