Testing positive abroad

Graeme29

I am due to fly to Barbados in February. I know the rules about leaving the uk, but the question is if I test positive on the Pcr test 48 hours before leaving, do I have to quarantine in Barbados or can I travel home and quarantine. If I have to quarantine in Barbados is there an insurance policy that covers the cost of the quarantine and the return trip.

zagfles

No you can't travel, that's the whole point of the pre-departure tests! It can be a LFT rather than a PCR, it's PCR for the "day 2" test when you get home. Check your travel insurance covers it. Also check local rules and the logistics of what you'd need to do - for instance if you're in holiday accomodation and you're positive would they allow you to stay on? What if accomodation was fully booked after your last day? If not, what would you do, how would you be allowed to travel to alternative accomodation etc.

But you're not going for 2 months, the rules change all the time, so check the rules nearer the time.

Caz3121

you would follow the quarantine rules at the time for the country you are in. You would not be able to travel to UK with a positive test and they do not accept proof of recovery so you would complete the required isolation then continue to wait it out until you test negative
maybe have a read of the travel insurance guide https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance/#at

onashoestring

As others have said the rules may change by the time of your trip - these are the current laws if you test positive in Barbados or are a close contact of someone who tests positive:

Testing positive for / close contact with COVID-19 in Barbados

If you test positive for COVID-19 at any point during your stay in Barbados you will be required to self-isolate. You will first be assessed by a member of staff from the government isolation facilities for 24 hours. You may be transferred to the Government’s quarantine facility, Harrison’s Point, for further assessment and treatment. You can stay there for no cost until you have recovered. Conditions at the government quarantine facilities are generally basic and not necessarily equivalent to a tourist hotel with the associated services.

Alternatively, you may be eligible for the Government’s home isolation programme and you have the option of requesting to self-isolate at your hotel, apartment or villa, or government approved isolation property under strict stipulations that must be signed and adhered to. This will be at your own expense. You will need to remain at your designated accommodation until the Barbadian authorities are satisfied that you have recovered. This may mean a mandatory stay of several weeks in Barbados. Upon recovery, tourists can continue their holiday or return home. The option to self-isolate in an approved hotel, villa or property is not a right – the decision will be made by healthcare professionals. See the Barbados Travel Protocols for full details of isolation options, facilities and requirements.

If you are deemed to have been in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case, you will be required to quarantine at approved facilities. See Barbados Travel Protocols for full details.

You should monitor the Visit Barbados website on a regular basis as the Government of Barbados may change the requirements without notice.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/barbados/entry-requirements

silvercar

Careful in Barbados. Friends were required to isolate because someone on their flight tested positive. Confined to their hotel room for 10 days even though they were double vaccinated.

Sandtree

Graeme29 said:

I am due to fly to Barbados in February. I know the rules about leaving the uk, but the question is if I test positive on the Pcr test 48 hours before leaving, do I have to quarantine in Barbados or can I travel home and quarantine. If I have to quarantine in Barbados is there an insurance policy that covers the cost of the quarantine and the return trip.

Some insurances do offer enforced stay abroad but its fairly unusual and these days there may be an exclusion for covid... Barclay's Premier for example only pay out if its linked to the airport or air space being closed at either £100 a day up to 15 days or £1,000 for actual additional accommodation costs.

Havent looked at Barbados for a while but you had three options, stay in your home, stay for free in their facility or stay at one of the quarantine hotels. The talk on Tripadvisor back then was that the quarantine hotels were very different to in the UK in that you could still move about and use certain facilities but the hotel had effectively been divided into quarantine people who are all in one wing, one pool, one restaurant and normal guests who cannot access those facilities but can everything else. Things may have changed in the last 15 months though!

zagfles

silvercar said:

Careful in Barbados. Friends were required to isolate because someone on their flight tested positive. Confined to their hotel room for 10 days even though they were double vaccinated.

I think that could happen anywhere.

RoisinDove

zagfles said:

silvercar said:

Careful in Barbados. Friends were required to isolate because someone on their flight tested positive. Confined to their hotel room for 10 days even though they were double vaccinated.

I think that could happen anywhere.

Nope - lots of places just require a test for exposure to a positive case, or nothing at all if you're vaccinated. The thought of being stuck in quarantine because of someone else would completely put me off going. 

silvercar

zagfles said:

silvercar said:

Careful in Barbados. Friends were required to isolate because someone on their flight tested positive. Confined to their hotel room for 10 days even though they were double vaccinated.

I think that could happen anywhere.

Not at all. I always check on this. A lot of places just warn you or ask you to take a test, particularly if you are vaccinated. 

Sandtree

silvercar said:

zagfles said:

silvercar said:

Careful in Barbados. Friends were required to isolate because someone on their flight tested positive. Confined to their hotel room for 10 days even though they were double vaccinated.

I think that could happen anywhere.

Not at all. I always check on this. A lot of places just warn you or ask you to take a test, particularly if you are vaccinated. 

We had 3 people test positive on our flight, according to the local paper, and we werent asked to do any additional tests or quarantine... again our trip was last year so things may have changed and I believe their approach is somewhat based on proximity on the plane.

Given exposure to a positive test result takes at least a few days I'd be surprised if many places just "warn you" or ask you to take a single test and let you wander around whilst potentially infectious