Using pre-departure PCR test for your 2 day after return test

ticktock10

Hi everyone, does anyone know if you can use a PCR test which was ordered to comply with the (current) pre-departure test required within 72hrs before you return to the UK for different travel test requirements? Now the rules are changing, I no longer need to do a pre-departure test, but i'd already bought the test so can I now use that as my test 2 days after I return to the UK (which apparently also can be a PCR test), or are the tests different/registered as being for specific purposes only? 

Abbey1

Apparently not.  I'm in the same position - arrive back from Greece four days before I go to Dubai, who require a fit to travel test.  So I have to take two tests on the same day for different requirements.  How ridiculous is that?!

ticktock10

Madness! How frustrating

silvercar

You only need an antigen (lateral flow) test for your pre departure test back to the Uk. I don’t understand why you would have bought a PCR for that purpose, PCR requires lab work, so a UK bought PCR won’t work.

silvercar

You can use a day2 PCR as a fit to fly PCR test if the company give you a certificate containing all the details required for fit to fly.

onashoestring

You can use any provider for the Day 2 test as long as it meets the UK Gov requirements 

The requirements for a Day 2 test include Genome sequencing and that the provider has to report to PHE the following details 

• data required to be reported under public health legislation
• the date of your arrival in the UK

• Your flight number 
• the date on which you last departed from or transited through a country or territory outside the common travel area
• the country or territory they were travelling from when they arrived in the UK, and any country or territory they transited through as part of that journey 
• COVID-19 vaccination status
• the purpose of the test – this must include whether the test was for a non-exempt amber, exempt amber or green list arrival and whether the test was for day 2, day 8 or Test to Release
• passport number or travel document reference number

If your supplier did not collect this information from you when you purchased the test , they can’t report it which is why they .legally can’t sell it to you as a Day 2 test 

Full requirements for providers here : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/testing-on-day-2-and-day-8-for-international-arrivals

brianposter

onashoestring said:

If your supplier did not collect this information from you when you purchased the test , they can’t report it which is why they .legally can’t sell it to you as a Day 2 test 

Just a technical correction. The supplier is likely to collect the relevant information when the test is used, so the problem could be that they have not set up the facility to collect all the information.

onashoestring

brianposter said:

Just a technical correction. The supplier is likely to collect the relevant information when the test is used, so the problem could be that they have not set up the facility to collect all the information.

Agreed @brianposter , it would also be an additional cost to the provider to do this and also the genome sequencing required.

Dr_Crypto

The sequencing that isn’t being done? Under 5% of positive tests had it performed. 

brianposter

Dr_Crypto said:

The sequencing that isn’t being done? Under 5% of positive tests had it performed. 

I am not sure that this is inappropriate. If and when a variant of concern appears they can gear up the sequencing.

Butts

brianposter said:

Dr_Crypto said:

The sequencing that isn’t being done? Under 5% of positive tests had it performed. 

I am not sure that this is inappropriate. If and when a variant of concern appears they can gear up the sequencing.

Why is no one else in Europe doing it if it's that important - insisting on testing of returned vaccinated citizens