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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

PCR for travel 6 weeks after Covid

14 replies

sleepingflower · 23/10/2021 18:41

DH and I had Covid a couple weeks ago. Not sure if it's relevant but we are both double jabbed, he he no symptoms and I wasn't too ill, it felt no worse than a bad cold.

We are due to go on holiday in a few weeks and need to show a negative PCR to get into the country.

I know we could test positive for several weeks after and I'm so worried we will have to cancel last minute (I've never needed a holiday quite so much as I do now!)

I'm not sure if I'm looking for some hope or to manage my expectations but what are other peoples experiences of still testing positive weeks later? We'll be doing our PCR travel test about 6 weeks from actually having Covid.

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 23/10/2021 18:48

Do they accept evidence of a recent infection with covid?

cptartapp · 23/10/2021 18:55

Do them at home. Swab someone else who hasn't had Covid recently and label them as yours.

whensmynexthol1day · 23/10/2021 19:57

I had to do a pre departure test 4 weeks after Covid and I was fine. The doctor who did it said she hasn't come across anyone who had tested positive in the same sort of situation so fingers crossed for you!

whensmynexthol1day · 23/10/2021 19:57

It was a pcr not an lft to clarify

users689033 · 23/10/2021 20:11

@cptartapp

Do them at home. Swab someone else who hasn't had Covid recently and label them as yours.

Don't do this.

Original poster

sleepingflower · 23/10/2021 21:36

@whensmynexthol1day

Thank you that's really reassuring!

Unfortunately they don't accept certificate of recovery (which is bonkers as 90 days post Covid the antibodies are high) and it has to be a PCR done at a proper testing place

OP posts:

Aposterhasnoname · 23/10/2021 21:55

Well the first thing I’d do is get a pcr test in about a fortnight to see if I was still testing positive.

Original poster

sleepingflower · 23/10/2021 22:11

@Aposterhasnoname

Well the first thing I’d do is get a pcr test in about a fortnight to see if I was still testing positive.

I'm tempted to do that just so I can enjoy the pre holiday build up - good idea!

OP posts:

cptartapp · 24/10/2021 07:19

We did as I suggested when DS1 had Covid six weeks prior to our family holiday. The home test was more expensive but worth the reassurance. We did the same on his LFT for return to the UK.
Be aware that you could test negative on one PCR and then positive on a subsequent one, although unlikely.

Original poster

sleepingflower · 24/10/2021 08:31

@cptartapp

We did as I suggested when DS1 had Covid six weeks prior to our family holiday. The home test was more expensive but worth the reassurance. We did the same on his LFT for return to the UK. Be aware that you could test negative on one PCR and then positive on a subsequent one, although unlikely.

How long after he had Covid did you test him?

OP posts:

cptartapp · 24/10/2021 19:15

Didnt risk testing him at all. We just swabbed me on the PCR at home and labelled it as his to go out, and same on the LFT we did in the hotel room coming back. I was double jabbed and had Covid many months ago. So 'fake' swabs for him if you like. The labs don't know.
He had Covid end June and we were travelling early August.
Just swab someone else, preferably that's had Covid in the past (LFT them first for extra reassurance) and put your names on it.

Original poster

sleepingflower · 24/10/2021 20:41

@cptartapp

Didnt risk testing him at all. We just swabbed me on the PCR at home and labelled it as his to go out, and same on the LFT we did in the hotel room coming back. I was double jabbed and had Covid many months ago. So 'fake' swabs for him if you like. The labs don't know. He had Covid end June and we were travelling early August. Just swab someone else, preferably that's had Covid in the past (LFT them first for extra reassurance) and put your names on it.

O I had completely misunderstood you - I don't think I could do that morally!

OP posts:

GoingBacktoSchool123 · 24/10/2021 20:57

Some complete morons on this thread FFS! No wonder we are in such shit. Other countries will close their borders to us if people behave like twats.

My DC tested positive on a day 2 PCR when we came back from Spain 6 weeks after having Covid so it could be a problem.

cptartapp · 25/10/2021 08:28

sleeping understood.
I believe subsequent positive tests are likely to be detecting fragments of RNA, not coming up positive because you are still infectious.
Depends how much you want your holiday. After 18 months of working frontline in PPE and my exam year teens stuck in their rooms, my morals took second place. And after watching numerous family members, neighbours and work colleagues consistantly bend rules for their own benefit I had no qualms at all.

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