Covid Testing before and after Travel

mbtaylor

Could you clarify the situation re greek islands & canaries?  Your guide says the excluded from advice on their host country, but doesn't say what situation does apply.  Gov.uk also give advice about Spain but excludes Canaries.  Are these island more free to access?

Caz3121

Washboy said:

Eurofins have been doing PCR tests for less than £45 for weeks. Surely you can beg/borrow that much to save your dream holiday?

that is not enough though, there will be a test required for the return and also day 2 and day 8 testing (these are the ones that are around £200)

sheramber

mbtaylor said:

Could you clarify the situation re greek islands & canaries?  Your guide says the excluded from advice on their host country, but doesn't say what situation does apply.  Gov.uk also give advice about Spain but excludes Canaries.  Are these island more free to access?

 Amber list    Spain (including the Balearics and Canary Islands)
                   Greece (including islands)

Bolt1234

This is a bit bizarre.  Virgin have just announced test packages and whilst they arent massively cheap compared to the cost of the holiday which must have been £££ then surely you will need to find a way.  Love the idea of flogging the wedding presents btw.  

Surely you wouldnt say goodbye to this holiday for the sake of say £250 which is what I suspect they will come down to for two of you.

mbtaylor

sorry to be awkward but the MSE advice & Gov.uk say that the canaries & various greek islands are excluded.  Excluded from what?

eskbanker

mbtaylor said:

sorry to be awkward but the MSE advice & Gov.uk say that the canaries & various greek islands are excluded.  Excluded from what?

Excluded from government advice against non-essential travel:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands but excluding the Canary Islands, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to Greece, except for the islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.

CKhalvashi

mbtaylor said:

Could you clarify the situation re greek islands & canaries?  Your guide says the excluded from advice on their host country, but doesn't say what situation does apply.  Gov.uk also give advice about Spain but excludes Canaries.  Are these island more free to access?

The advice I've received in the course of business (from someone qualified to give this advice) in relation to 2 other countries in this position is that there will be no legal right to cancel on the back of the FCO advice, even for packages.

That's advice that we have chosen to ignore (suspending UK sales until further notice as we deem it cheaper to do this), however it's going to be important for anyone making new bookings to check with their travel agent (and if necessary getting them to check with their tour operator) whether they are using the Green List or the FCO advice regarding cancellations if they cannot isolate at home for 10 days.

The company that this advice was received by does not sell to the public, only to professional companies who then package with flights and sell to the public, however the question was asked from a consumer perspective.

bagpussofsussex

Does anyone know - are the Eurofins tests valid for everywhere? I’m asking because most of the PCR tests are a deep swab in both the throat and then up the nostrils until it hits the back of the throat (we had this done when we went to Madeira last year) - but the video on the eurofins website shows the swab just being wiggled around in the nostril, not deep at all. 

We are due to go out to Madeira soon and want to get tested before we go this time round, Eurofins is the cheapest option, but it’s only cheap if they accept it!

JJC1956

bagpussofsussex said:

Does anyone know - are the Eurofins tests valid for everywhere? I’m asking because most of the PCR tests are a deep swab in both the throat and then up the nostrils until it hits the back of the throat (we had this done when we went to Madeira last year) - but the video on the eurofins website shows the swab just being wiggled around in the nostril, not deep at all. 

We are due to go out to Madeira soon and want to get tested before we go this time round, Eurofins is the cheapest option, but it’s only cheap if they accept it!

As you have been Madeira before, you must know that they will give you a FREE PCR test at the airport, you just need to stay in your residence until the test result comes through, usually late the same evening. Just take a free Rapid Antigen test before you go

Washboy

bagpussofsussex said:

Does anyone know - are the Eurofins tests valid for everywhere? I’m asking because most of the PCR tests are a deep swab in both the throat and then up the nostrils until it hits the back of the throat (we had this done when we went to Madeira last year) - but the video on the eurofins website shows the swab just being wiggled around in the nostril, not deep at all. 

We are due to go out to Madeira soon and want to get tested before we go this time round, Eurofins is the cheapest option, but it’s only cheap if they accept it!

Nasal swabs are so much better. The one ones that go up the nostril and down into the throat are uncomfortable and not very nice. Yes, nasal swabs will be fine for your holiday. They are accepted.