Do I need to do a lateral flow test prior to arrival into England?

[NotSure1542]

I am off to Greece next week and am getting conflicting information. I know you need a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure to Greece and a Day 2 test once you come back home to England but I keep seeing you need to take a lateral flow test 3 days before you’re meant to travel home? I am fully vaccinated and it’s an amber list country. Am I reading this right?

Yes you need to do a lateral flow test when you are there before flying home you get your result verified by a nurse on a video call from which ever company you use (has to be an approved one). You'll also need to do a Greek PLF to fly out and an English PLF to fly back. If you are vaccinated you don't need to have the test to go out (as long as it's been a sufficient time since second jab)

Thank you! @LoveAGoodToddlerTantrum

The Jet2holidays website has information about different destinations which is updated regularly

Just reread that you've had you're vaccines so:

• No test before going to Greece just fill out the PLF form and have your vaccine evidence on the NHS app to show them.
• 72 hours before returning you'll need to do your lateral flow test on a video call with a nurse and fill out your PLF to return to the UK
• on arrival do your day 2 PCR test and post it off

We used breathe assured for tests who were fine. We arrived back from Greece Saturday so the above should I presume still be the case

Yes that's still the case for Greece, I'm there now. We got our return tests done in the resort, took a couple of hours for the results to come through. Need to do passenger locator form today to return home 😩

You'll also need to do a Greek passenger coat or form up to 48 hours before your arrival.

Have a great holiday!

Currently in Greece. You can get the LFT to return done at a pharmacy- costs 20 euros

"Coat or" = locator

Just to add you don't necessarily need to do a lateral flow test with a video call with a nurse to return to the UK. We just got back from Spain (also amber) and yes we had to do a flow test but we did it without a video call - just did the LFT in our hotel room and uploaded a photo of the results to a company called c19 Ceruleum (I think that's how you spell it) - it is on the government website as an authorised provider. They texted us back a few hours later with our certificate and no problems returning to the UK.

c19 Cerulean - just checked the spelling!

The full guidance is here:

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england

AFAIK if Greece is standard Amber list then the test prior to return to the UK doesn’t have to to involve video calls or be done by a UK company/UK provided, whatever test is done has simply has to comply with the requirements set out in the link….

That means in many countries in can be done as a walk in at a local lab or pharmacy.

The Jet2holidays website has information about different destinations which is updated regularly

I’m afraid that it cannot be relied upon for accuracy.

We have just returned from Italy - amber. We did our lateral flow (antigen ) test at a pharmacy there. They sent us the results in English and we uploaded to our phones.

No need for video calls or tests done with English companies. Any pharmacy that does it is fine as long as results/certificates are in English, French or Spanish

I too just can't get my head around this. I just can't seem to work out the point.

Why are you doing this test? To whom are you reporting that you've done it.

In order to fly home to uk, you have to give a code, on your passenger locator form to return to the uk, for your day 2 PCR test, that you do within 2 days of getting home.

If it's proof that you've booked the uk 2 day PCR test that you need to do when you get back. If so, what's the point of doing a test, when you are actually on holiday? A few days before you are supposed to fly home?

@Oblomov21

Why are you doing this test? To whom are you reporting that you've done it.

In order to fly home to uk, you have to give a code, on your passenger locator form to return to the uk, for your day 2 PCR test, that you do within 2 days of getting home.

If it's proof that you've booked the uk 2 day PCR test that you need to do when you get back. If so, what's the point of doing a test, when you are actually on holiday? A few days before you are supposed to fly home?

It's a requirement to re-enter the U.K. That is why people are doing it.

Definitely don't need a test going in to Greece if you are fully vaccinated (they can do random testing on arrival)
Test 2 days before you return home (LFT) - can't board the plane without it.
PCR 2 days after you get back - have to have booking ref to complete UK passenger location form (AKA money making exercise)

@Oblomov21

what's the point of doing a test, when you are actually on holiday? A few days before you are supposed to fly home

Because ATM it’s a requirement prior to travel to the UK.

“You must take a test even if:

you’ve been fully vaccinated
you’re travelling from a country or territory on the green list
you’re a UK citizen”

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england