Canaries Antigen Test

ripofflondon

R3dders said:

https://www.thelocal.es/20201210/spain-modifies-covid-test-requirements-for-travellers.  Just read in The Local ES.  Seems to confirm it however last paragraph states "However the government stopped short of allowing antigen tests arguing that they were still not reliable enough"

Thanks all for this thread.  I read that article posted by R3dders as saying they now allow the TMA test, but not the antigen one.  Am I right in believing this? 

I booked up just yesterday to go to the Canaries for 2 weeks over Christmas and coming back on New Year's Day - 1 of the few places i COULD go to (as long as I pass the COVID PCR test < 72hrs before i depart! - if it IS still the PCR test by next week) Flying in and out of Tenerife but haven't yet booked accommodation as I haven't yet decided if I'm going to spend two weeks in Tenerife or 1 in Tenerife and 1 elsewhere - getting the flights booked was the important bit.  I also hope the trip doesn’t get cancelled if London gets put into Tier 3.  I didn’t know that PHE was talking about that when I booked.

I was actually about to post about something else relating to the Canaries - will start a new thread for that so don't hijack this one!

eskbanker

Pollycat said:

eskbanker said:

Pollycat said:
So it sounds like the original post is incorrect about antigen tests now being acceptable.

It must be a PCR or TMA test.

Not really - the thread is about which tests are deemed acceptable to the Canary Islands, who are knowingly diverging from the stance of the central Spanish government, so recent changes to the latter's position don't negate the point made by OP.

The thread is titled:

Canaries Antigen Test

and goes on to say:

Great news that Canaries govt has authorised these “quick and cheap” tests.

Additionally on another thread the OP of this thread states:

Guapo58 said:

they now accept Antigen test which is quicker but where you get them I do not know

which is clearly not correct.

The OP of this thread clearly believed antigen tests were acceptable for entry to The Canaries.

You're missing OP's point, and mine - as per my 10:05 post above, the Canary authorities have said that antigen tests are acceptable to them, even though this knowingly puts them into conflict with the different position adopted by the central Spanish government.

ripofflondon

Eskbanker - tried to quote you but the site wouldn't let me - wrong browser or something.

I agree that the Canary Islands site - https://www.hellocanaryislands.com/coronavirus/ - DOES say that they will allow antigens (as distinct from what the Local ES says but, as you say, it's unclear how official that (Canary) site is.  Let's hope the situation clarifies itself by the time next week rolls around....thank god I'm not flying tomorrow!

Pollycat

ripofflondon said:

Eskbanker - tried to quote you but the site wouldn't let me - wrong browser or something.

I agree that the Canary Islands site - https://www.hellocanaryislands.com/coronavirus/ - DOES say that they will allow antigens (as distinct from what the Local ES says but, as you say, it's unclear how official that (Canary) site is.  Let's hope the situation clarifies itself by the time next week rolls around....thank god I'm not flying tomorrow!

Yes, well...

can a website called 'hellocanaryislands' be believed...?

So far, nobody has provided an official link.

eskbanker said:

You're missing OP's point, and mine - as per my 10:05 post above, the Canary authorities have said that antigen tests are acceptable to them, even though this knowingly puts them into conflict with the different position adopted by the central Spanish government.

So do you have a link to official confirmation of the bit in bold? Maybe the equivalent of GOV.UK, perhaps...

eskbanker

Pollycat said:

ripofflondon said:

Eskbanker - tried to quote you but the site wouldn't let me - wrong browser or something.

I agree that the Canary Islands site - https://www.hellocanaryislands.com/coronavirus/ - DOES say that they will allow antigens (as distinct from what the Local ES says but, as you say, it's unclear how official that (Canary) site is.  Let's hope the situation clarifies itself by the time next week rolls around....thank god I'm not flying tomorrow!

Yes, well...

can a website called 'hellocanaryislands' be believed...?

So far, nobody has provided an official link.

eskbanker said:

You're missing OP's point, and mine - as per my 10:05 post above, the Canary authorities have said that antigen tests are acceptable to them, even though this knowingly puts them into conflict with the different position adopted by the central Spanish government.

So do you have a link to official confirmation of the bit in bold? Maybe the equivalent of GOV.UK, perhaps...

Yes, looking into it a bit more just now, it appears that https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/principal/ is the official website of the Government of the Canary Islands, and on that site there is a page announcing the new rules, at https://www3.gobiernodecanarias.org/noticias/turismo-intensifica-la-informacion-a-clientes-y-agentes-sobre-el-nuevo-decreto-de-entrada-al-destino/

The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce of the Government of the Canary Islands is intensifying communication in all its channels to update the information on the entry into force as of today of the new decree that allows access to the destination to international travelers with an antigen test . 

After the publication yesterday in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands of the new rule, traveling to the Canary Islands is now a little easier for international tourists, as it establishes that all those non-resident travelers in Spain may undergo an entry sanitary control in airports and ports, to regulate their entry safely with more accessible and economically feasible systems.

Since last night, the public company Promotur Turismo de Canarias updated the contents of its website aimed at the Hola Islas Canarias tourist [this is presumably the 'hellocanaryislands' one], specifically in the section dedicated to COVID-19 information, and adding new content in the frequently asked questions so that both Travelers and accommodation establishments, know first-hand and with accurate information how the new decree affects them.

The Official Gazette announcement (in Spanish, naturally!) is at http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/2020/252/, explained in more user-friendly terms at (unofficial but reasonably credible local news source) https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/Its-official-antigen-tests-published-in-boc#ath

R3dders

Looks like bad news coming.  Sky News Headline just.... COVID-19 quarantine: Travellers arriving from Spanish Canary Islands must isolate

Alan_Bowen

Yes, there has been a steady rise in cases, according to our government, arguably because the antigen tests are not as good at detecting the virus as the PCR test which the mainland has insisted on. 

R3dders

Think the Antigen test was superceded by the Spanish government insisting on PCR test from 23rd November anyway.  Not 100% sure on that though, and im sure someone on here will advise

eskbanker

Alan_Bowen said:

Yes, there has been a steady rise in cases, according to our government, arguably because the antigen tests are not as good at detecting the virus as the PCR test which the mainland has insisted on. 

As above, the islands only confirmed yesterday that antigen tests would be acceptable from today, so a tad early for any impact to be seen, at least in the context of UK visitors returning from the islands.

R3dders said:

Think the Antigen test was superceded by the Spanish government insisting on PCR test from 23rd November anyway.  Not 100% sure on that though, and im sure someone on here will advise

No, see above!

silvercar

Looks like the money saved on having an antigen test rather than PCR could be put to good use having another test to release from isolation after 5 days on your return.