Return to UK - Single vaccination but COVID RECOVERY

adibell

Hello all. Searched a few pages thinking this would be a common problem but couldn’t spot any similar posts. 

Only noticed this the day before travel but the return to the UK requires double vaccination. I had one jab, but I caught (and recovered from!) COVID at the start of September. This means my NHS recovery pass has been used for all sorts - getting entry to gigs etc. Which it should - I will have way higher levels of antibodies than those that only have the vaccinations, having recovered from the actual virus!

I quickly got a second jab at a walk in centre the day before yesterday (29th Oct), and then travelled out to Portugal yesterday (30th), arm aching to boot. 

However, my flight back to England is on the 11th Nov; the 13th will be the first day counted as 14 days from my 2nd jab. in theory I could extend my holiday and fly back on the 14th, but obviously this is extra cost, I’ll miss out on a couple things planned at home, (and my partner will be fed up I’m staying longer while she’s at home!).

I flat out refuse to have to come back and have to isolate and pay a load of money for the pleasure to do so.

Since the rules changed to allow the day 2 test with proof of vaccination, does anyone have experience with attempting to use the COVID recovery pass with just the day 2 LF test booked, and either it working fine, or being caught out and facing the fines for not bowing to our pharmaceutical-happy overlords?

Thank you kindly,
A

Caz3121

there is nothing listed for proof of recovery being accepted for exemptions for entry to England
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19#check-if-you-qualify-as-fully-vaccinated
I would expect you to follow the rules for those not fully vaccinated - require negative test before leaving Portugal, day 2 and day 8 PCR tests booked and 10 days home quarantine on return.
(it may indeed be cheaper to change your return date by 2 days)

adibell

Thank you; I have read the Gov rules, and whilst they don’t specifically mention it will count to enter the country, there is no specific mention it won’t count. 

I realise this is wishful thinking, but feel it is likely someone had attempted it and I want to hear experiences of whether it had, or had not been successful.

I am requesting peoples experiences of this, not the information I can read online, which I have! But thank you all the same!

unforeseen

adibell said:

Thank you; I have read the Gov rules, and whilst they don’t specifically mention it will count to enter the country, there is no specific mention it won’t count. 

I realise this is wishful thinking, but feel it is likely someone had attempted it and I want to hear experiences of whether it had, or had not been successful.

I am requesting peoples experiences of this, not the information I can read online, which I have! But thank you all the same!

It doesn't say that a picture of Noddy can be used either. 

They don't mention it because they only mention what IS required. Anything else will not meet the requirements. 

Caz3121

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/news/578/international-travel-and-demonstrating-covid-19-status
"However, easing of COVID-19 requirements to enter England is based on whether a traveller is fully vaccinated, not proof of recent COVID-19 infection [3]."
Without a test before travel and day 2/8 PCRs booked I would expect that you would be denied boarding

pete-20-11

Seems a little silly, especially as a PCR could show positive for up to 90 days post infection. 

Caz3121

pete-20-11 said:

Seems a little silly, especially as a PCR could show positive for up to 90 days post infection. 

yes that is possible (but many people may test negative after 10 days) it does not need to be a PCR to enter England...it could be a lateral flow or a LAMP test

• a nucleic acid test, including a PCR test
• a LAMP test
• an antigen test, such as an LFD (lateral flow device) test

silvercar

The rules are that you need to isolate on return and book day 2/8 tests and a test before travel.

if you want to make sure you get on the plane, then you need to the test before travel and to have booked to day 2/8 tests. Once you are home, whether you want to risk breaching isolation and not taking tests is up to you. £1000 fine if caught.
personally I would delay your return, it will save you money on testing and be far less hassle.

onashoestring

adibell said:

Thank you; I have read the Gov rules, and whilst they don’t specifically mention it will count to enter the country, there is no specific mention it won’t count. 

To avoid the need for self isolation and Day 2 and Day 8 tests on your return to UK Proof of vaccination or an exemption from vaccination is required. 

  Coronavirus: International Travel FAQs for England says https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9203/CBP-9203.pdf

“As well as showing vaccination status, the NHS Covid Pass can also be used to show negative PCR or lateral flow test results (which will be valid for up to 48 hours after the result), and positive PCR test results (which will be valid for up to 180 days after the result). …. This will not be accepted as being equivalent to ‘full vaccination’ for entry to England but may allow easier entry to other countries.” 

If you attempt to fly back on 11th without complying with the rules for non vaccinated arrivals- You risk loosing your flight ( with no entitlement to a refund)  , Airlines do check as they are also fined if they bring passengers who do not have the correct paperwork.

If the airline doesn’t check and accepts you on the flight when you arrive in UK , you risk fines for not taking the pre- departure test £500 , fines for not booking the Day 2 & 8 tests £1000 ;  fines for not taking the tests £1,000 for first offence £2,000 for second offence and fines for not self- isolating ( penalty of up to £10,000 ) 

All things considered it’s probably money saving to stay on the extra few days in Portugal. 

adibell

Thanks for the responses, though a few were a little unnecessarily patronising. I’m fully capable of reading the government guidelines, and have done. I was hoping just to find if anyone had tried to use the NHS Covid Recovery pass to enter the UK. 

if you look at the guidelines, it says this:

Proof of vaccination

You must be able to prove that you’ve been fully vaccinated under a vaccination programme with approved proof of certification.
If you live in England, you can prove your vaccination status using the NHS COVID Pass.
If you were vaccinated in another country or territory, the table below gives examples of what you can use as proof of vaccination.

….but if you then go onto the linked NHS COVID Pass page, a little further down, it says this:

For travel abroad
You can obtain your NHS COVID Pass after receiving either:

• 2 doses of the Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine

• one dose of the Janssen vaccine

• proof of natural immunity shown by a positive PCR test result for COVID-19, lasting for 180 days after the date of the positive test and following completion of the self-isolation period

So, do we think that the NHS COVID Recovery Certificate would suffice? 

More to my original request, I’d like to know has anyone any experience of pushing this grey area and attempted to use the COVID recovery pass to re-enter the UK? 

Thank you,
A

unforeseen

Your first quote is for arriving in the UK and the second is for going abroad.

In other words the second is for leaving the UK and the first for coming back.