Just back from two and a half weeks going round Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Checks at each border point were:
London > Vilnius. Proof of double vaccination and PLF, no need for test. Vilnius > Riga. Cursory glance from coach driver at vaccination letter and PLF. No checks at border. Riga > Tallinn. Cursory glance from coach driver at vaccination letter and PLF. No checks at border. Tallin > London. Pre flight antigen test (25 euro). Day 2 test booked (£40). PLF. Proof of double vaccination. All checked pre flight by Ryanair ground crew, no checks in London. Group of about 35 turned away from the plan due to not having a pre flight test.
The relaxation of rules is welcome, but it won't bring us even close to Europe where rules are seemingly incredibly relaxed at the moment.
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
Why do the French (and others) comply? I wish more in the UK would
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
Why do the French (and others) comply? I wish more in the UK would
Surely the question is, why do so many Brits and US people not comply? Its these two countries which are the outliers, not the rest of Europe.
( reminds me of the iconic old Times headline “ Fog in Channel - Continent cut off” )
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
When seen from that kind of international perspective it is indeed shocking to see what has become the norm in the UK now....well... it is to me but I mostly find that I'm in a small minority on this among Brits
I assume green list countries are still insisting on pcr tests on entry in to their country?
No, mate ,not if you are fully vaxxed.
This is what is perplexing Europeans about the British approach. It makes people question whether the vaccines are really that effective, if these tests are deemed necessary, and that is not good for anyone. Yes I know they're not 100% and there is asymptomatic transmission, but they don't see that the risk justifies the hassle - especially when they see that a large number of these tests are not being done properly or not at all, or they have left again before they get their result back. And of course travellers from most EU countries are travelling from places where the current infection rate is way, way lower than the UK, and that adds to the sense of old British high-handedness that they thought was long gone.
caveat: I've only checked the CZ entry rules before writing this, but what's striking about the last few months is that EU countries have quietly harmonised a lot of travel rules. I think that once the vaccines came properly on stream, that calmed a lot of political nerves and co-operation returned. It could still be upended come the winter, but there is a much better approach visible.
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
Why do the French (and others) comply? I wish more in the UK would
Because it's compulsory in France.
French people can be just as dumb and irresponsible as British people, of course. If it was up to the French, some wouldn't give a toss about wearing a mask either.
The French government know this and therefore make it illegal not to wear a mask on public transport and inside any building where the public has access. There's fixed penalties to deter those who think they are above the law.
The French government can be seen as taking responsibilty for their situation. Compare to the British Government's stance of "letting the people use their common sense"........ perhaps their concept of herd immunity, by stealth?
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
When seen from that kind of international perspective it is indeed shocking to see what has become the norm in the UK now....well... it is to me but I mostly find that I'm in a small minority on this among Brits
Yeah, when you've lived or spent an extended period of time in another country, you become familiar with that country's ways of handling the pandemic.
And then by comparison, after you have had to jump through all the hoops when you need to come back, you realise what a shambolic mess the British Government is in and how in the UK, people can basically do whatever they want regarding risk of Covid.
I assume green list countries are still insisting on pcr tests on entry in to their country?
No, mate ,not if you are fully vaxxed.
This is what is perplexing Europeans about the British approach. It makes people question whether the vaccines are really that effective, if these tests are deemed necessary, and that is not good for anyone. Yes I know they're not 100% and there is asymptomatic transmission, but they don't see that the risk justifies the hassle - especially when they see that a large number of these tests are not being done properly or not at all, or they have left again before they get their result back. And of course travellers from most EU countries are travelling from places where the current infection rate is way, way lower than the UK, and that adds to the sense of old British high-handedness that they thought was long gone.
caveat: I've only checked the CZ entry rules before writing this, but what's striking about the last few months is that EU countries have quietly harmonised a lot of travel rules. I think that once the vaccines came properly on stream, that calmed a lot of political nerves and co-operation returned. It could still be upended come the winter, but there is a much better approach visible.
Europeans are not speaking with one voice, as you still need a negative test to travel to Italy or Portugal, even if you are fully vaccinated.
Each EU country decides the risk individually. No diktat from “Brussels”. I suppose that Italy and Portugal are less sanguine about the sky-high infection rate in the UK, than the Czechs are. My worry is that by the time Oct 22 comes around, if the UK infection rate has not dropped, more EU countries will take the line of those two. And who could blame them?
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
Why do the French (and others) comply? I wish more in the UK would
Because it's compulsory in France.
French people can be just as dumb and irresponsible as British people, of course. If it was up to the French, some wouldn't give a toss about wearing a mask either.
The French government know this and therefore make it illegal not to wear a mask on public transport and inside any building where the public has access. There's fixed penalties to deter those who think they are above the law.
The French government can be seen as taking responsibilty for their situation. Compare to the British Government's stance of "letting the people use their common sense"........ perhaps their concept of herd immunity, by stealth?
Well, I was in a children's indoor soft playground this morning (in France) and only two of about twenty people were wearing a mask.
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
Why do the French (and others) comply? I wish more in the UK would
Because it's compulsory in France.
French people can be just as dumb and irresponsible as British people, of course. If it was up to the French, some wouldn't give a toss about wearing a mask either.
The French government know this and therefore make it illegal not to wear a mask on public transport and inside any building where the public has access. There's fixed penalties to deter those who think they are above the law.
The French government can be seen as taking responsibilty for their situation. Compare to the British Government's stance of "letting the people use their common sense"........ perhaps their concept of herd immunity, by stealth?
Well, I was in a children's indoor soft playground this morning (in France) and only two of about twenty people were wearing a mask. Most people agree with me that everyone who wants to be double vaccinated has been, and that we should just refuse to wear masks just to protect those who refuse to be vaccinated.
Genuine question; does wearing a mask when double-vaxed help with the overall situation (opening up opportunities including travel etc. for those double-vaxed) not just those not (or the tiny minority who cannot be) vaxed?
PCR test justed booked here in France for the day before departure to England.
It's still free.
Only because you are a French resident. I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
I wasn't just thinking of myself. Why is it not free for UK residents in the UK?
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
Got the fit to fly test done in a local French pharmacy. But what a rigmarole searching for a Day 2 test and all the form filling. Plus the substantial extra expenses.
At the French aeroport, they only wanted to see passport, boarding pass and Covid doubled vaxed letter. Nobody asked to see my negative test certificate, uk locator form or anything else. But the queue was massive and slow moving. The plane departure was delayed because of it.
At Gatwick, only the passport check was undertaken.
In France everybody was required to wear a face mask and on the plane itself. Back in the UK at Gatwick inside the airport, everybody wore a mask.
But on the train from Gatwick very few people wore a mask and nobody seemed to care about risk. Coming from France where it was compulsory and protections in place, the UK was a culture shock to find you could just do what you wanted without thinking of any consequences.
What is the point of this Day 2 test for double vaxed people? My greatest risk of contracting Covid wasn't in France - but back in the UK on the train, on my journey home.
Illogical. Farcical. Money making scam.
Why do the French (and others) comply? I wish more in the UK would
Because it's compulsory in France.
French people can be just as dumb and irresponsible as British people, of course. If it was up to the French, some wouldn't give a toss about wearing a mask either.
The French government know this and therefore make it illegal not to wear a mask on public transport and inside any building where the public has access. There's fixed penalties to deter those who think they are above the law.
The French government can be seen as taking responsibilty for their situation. Compare to the British Government's stance of "letting the people use their common sense"........ perhaps their concept of herd immunity, by stealth?
Well, I was in a children's indoor soft playground this morning (in France) and only two of about twenty people were wearing a mask. Most people agree with me that everyone who wants to be double vaccinated has been, and that we should just refuse to wear masks just to protect those who refuse to be vaccinated.
Genuine question; does wearing a mask when double-vaxed help with the overall situation (opening up opportunities including travel etc. for those double-vaxed) not just those not (or the tiny minority who cannot be) vaxed?
Well, in most places if you don't wear a mask then you get asked to. If you refuse then they will call the police.
This morning's place just illustrates how people really feel about it if given the choice. Personally I've given up with conversations wearing a mask. I just give up talking to people.
PCR test justed booked here in France for the day before departure to England.
It's still free.
Only because you are a French resident. I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
I wasn't just thinking of myself. Why is it not free for UK residents in the UK?
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
More like, why is it free in France? I chose to travel, so I have to pay, for now?
I have had the same re the approved suppliers; you have to go through each one to check the price and circs etc.
PCR test justed booked here in France for the day before departure to England.
It's still free.
Only because you are a French resident. I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
I wasn't just thinking of myself. Why is it not free for UK residents in the UK?
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
I don't know, Jimmy. I didn't need a test to enter France a couple of months ago. But when I needed to come home this week, I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
As you're a French resident like my GF, you'd get your French one free/reimboursed through your Mutuelle.
It's unbelievable. The Greater London ones for 20 quid when you click on them turn out to be either:
1. 60 or 70 quid 2. NOT SUITABLE IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN THE UK. 3. Up north or Peterborough at best 4. In Putney but no availability for September 5. In North London at a clinic but when you try to click on a date it doesn't work
I get to this one https://www.travel19.co.uk/day-2-8 - the 13th one on the list - it's a postal one for 20 quid for vaccinated people from Amber countries. I fill in all the details and then when I get to the payment page it's sold out.
That's over 90 minutes I've been trying. I give up.
PCR test justed booked here in France for the day before departure to England.
It's still free.
Only because you are a French resident. I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
I wasn't just thinking of myself. Why is it not free for UK residents in the UK?
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
More like, why is it free in France? I chose to travel, so I have to pay, for now?
I have had the same re the approved suppliers; you have to go through each one to check the price and circs etc.
Like most EU countries, in CZ you currently have an allowance of 4 free of both types per month. The main reason is that In the EU a lot of people travelling do so for work reasons. A subsidiary reason is to help citizens who have to comply with the requirements of other countries in order to be able to travel. Again such travel is unlikely to be for “holiday” purposes at this time of year.
I am expecting that this free allowance will be withdrawn for the non-vaxxed very soon.
PCR test justed booked here in France for the day before departure to England.
It's still free.
Only because you are a French resident. I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
I wasn't just thinking of myself. Why is it not free for UK residents in the UK?
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
More like, why is it free in France? I chose to travel, so I have to pay, for now?
I have had the same re the approved suppliers; you have to go through each one to check the price and circs etc.
'I chose to travel' You have a strange attitude that I just can't understand.
You may as well say 'I chose to exercise my freedom of movement so it's only right that I have to pay for it'
I apologise for giving my opinion at all on this thread.
All I want is to book a PCR test for 20 quid without spending hours and hours at it. Is that really unreasonable?
PCR test justed booked here in France for the day before departure to England.
It's still free.
Only because you are a French resident. I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
I wasn't just thinking of myself. Why is it not free for UK residents in the UK?
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
I don't know, Jimmy. I didn't need a test to enter France a couple of months ago. But when I needed to come home this week, I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
As you're a French resident like my GF, you'd get your French one free/reimboursed through your Mutuelle.
I think you misunderstood. I paid nothing for my test here.
My point was that if the test is free in France for French residents then why isn't in free in the UK for UK residents?
PCR test justed booked here in France for the day before departure to England.
It's still free.
Only because you are a French resident. I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
I wasn't just thinking of myself. Why is it not free for UK residents in the UK?
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
More like, why is it free in France? I chose to travel, so I have to pay, for now?
I have had the same re the approved suppliers; you have to go through each one to check the price and circs etc.
Like most EU countries, in CZ you currently have an allowance of 4 free of both types per month. The main reason is that In the EU a lot of people travelling do so for work reasons. A subsidiary reason is to help citizens who have to comply with the requirements of other countries in order to be able to travel. Again such travel is unlikely to be for “holiday” purposes at this time of year.
I am expecting that this free allowance will be withdrawn for the non-vaxxed very soon.
Yes, so that makes sense with so many land borders in mainland Europe so almost necessary (and dare I say therefore not comparable)
It's unbelievable. The Greater London ones for 20 quid when you click on them turn out to be either:
1. 60 or 70 quid 2. NOT SUITABLE IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN THE UK. 3. Up north or Peterborough at best 4. In Putney but no availability for September 5. In North London at a clinic but when you try to click on a date it doesn't work
I get to this one https://www.travel19.co.uk/day-2-8 - the 13th one on the list - it's a postal one for 20 quid for vaccinated people from Amber countries. I fill in all the details and then when I get to the payment page it's sold out.
That's over 90 minutes I've been trying. I give up.
I feel for you, mate. Earlier this week in France, I was pulling my hair out trying to go through this type of thing - and that was before spending over an hour trying to fill in a UK Locator form on the gov.uk site - which kept throwing me out and my having to start again every time!
Anybody used the Eurofins drive through PCR test for Day2 Amber return from abroad? They are advertising tests ‘from’ £20 at their Warrington test centre not far from me. I can’t seem to get their on line registration process to work though! Beginning to look like another bunch of cowboys to me. The sooner this Day2 con is stopped the better!
Haven't used them for the drive through test, but they were the ones I booked my fit-to-fly test through at Valencia airport and it was well organised and got result back quickly.
Cheers. Will keep trying then.
Finally figured out the weirdly laid out online reg form and have booked Amber return 2 day pcr tests at the Eurofins, Warrington site for the wife and I for £20 each. Result that. Even cheaper in the end than 'bad boys' Expert Medicals.
Sent back my Expert Medicals day 2 test a week ago, still heard nothing!
Just booked Expert Medicals.
After two hours of trying they were the only ones I could do a booking with for a test I can either do at home or reasonably get to for under 30 quid. I was tempted to book a 20 quid one in Manchester with no intention of going to actually do the test but I went for the company for whom I do the test but probably will never get the results.
It's unbelievable. The Greater London ones for 20 quid when you click on them turn out to be either:
1. 60 or 70 quid 2. NOT SUITABLE IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN THE UK. 3. Up north or Peterborough at best 4. In Putney but no availability for September 5. In North London at a clinic but when you try to click on a date it doesn't work
I get to this one https://www.travel19.co.uk/day-2-8 - the 13th one on the list - it's a postal one for 20 quid for vaccinated people from Amber countries. I fill in all the details and then when I get to the payment page it's sold out.
That's over 90 minutes I've been trying. I give up.
I feel for you, mate. Earlier this week in France, I was pulling my hair out trying to go through this type of thing - and that was before spending over an hour trying to fill in a UK Locator form on the gov.uk site - which kept throwing me out and my having to start again every time!
Thanks I mustn't forget that.
Do I have to do anything else? Suck Boris Johnson's Johnson maybe?
Anybody used the Eurofins drive through PCR test for Day2 Amber return from abroad? They are advertising tests ‘from’ £20 at their Warrington test centre not far from me. I can’t seem to get their on line registration process to work though! Beginning to look like another bunch of cowboys to me. The sooner this Day2 con is stopped the better!
Haven't used them for the drive through test, but they were the ones I booked my fit-to-fly test through at Valencia airport and it was well organised and got result back quickly.
Cheers. Will keep trying then.
Finally figured out the weirdly laid out online reg form and have booked Amber return 2 day pcr tests at the Eurofins, Warrington site for the wife and I for £20 each. Result that. Even cheaper in the end than 'bad boys' Expert Medicals.
Sent back my Expert Medicals day 2 test a week ago, still heard nothing!
Just booked Expert Medicals.
After two hours of trying they were the only ones I could do a booking with for a test I can either do at home or reasonably get to for under 30 quid. I was tempted to book a 20 quid one in Manchester with no intention of going to actually do the test but I went for the company for whom I do the test but probably will never get the results.
What a joke!!!!!!
Unless it has changed again Expert Medicals is NOT in the approved list so you cannot use it.
It was, but was taken off on Sept. 2. But of course it may have gone back on
Anybody used the Eurofins drive through PCR test for Day2 Amber return from abroad? They are advertising tests ‘from’ £20 at their Warrington test centre not far from me. I can’t seem to get their on line registration process to work though! Beginning to look like another bunch of cowboys to me. The sooner this Day2 con is stopped the better!
Haven't used them for the drive through test, but they were the ones I booked my fit-to-fly test through at Valencia airport and it was well organised and got result back quickly.
Cheers. Will keep trying then.
Finally figured out the weirdly laid out online reg form and have booked Amber return 2 day pcr tests at the Eurofins, Warrington site for the wife and I for £20 each. Result that. Even cheaper in the end than 'bad boys' Expert Medicals.
Sent back my Expert Medicals day 2 test a week ago, still heard nothing!
Just booked Expert Medicals.
After two hours of trying they were the only ones I could do a booking with for a test I can either do at home or reasonably get to for under 30 quid. I was tempted to book a 20 quid one in Manchester with no intention of going to actually do the test but I went for the company for whom I do the test but probably will never get the results.
What a joke!!!!!!
Unless it has changed again Expert Medicals is NOT in the approved list so you cannot use it.
It was, but was taken off on Sept. 2. But of course it may have gone back on
'Expert Medicals removed from day 2 and day 8 government testing list Cheap testing firm with huge number of complaints is taken off government list, but is still allowed to sell mandatory Covid tests'
Comments
London > Vilnius. Proof of double vaccination and PLF, no need for test.
Vilnius > Riga. Cursory glance from coach driver at vaccination letter and PLF. No checks at border.
Riga > Tallinn. Cursory glance from coach driver at vaccination letter and PLF. No checks at border.
Tallin > London. Pre flight antigen test (25 euro). Day 2 test booked (£40). PLF. Proof of double vaccination. All checked pre flight by Ryanair ground crew, no checks in London. Group of about 35 turned away from the plan due to not having a pre flight test.
The relaxation of rules is welcome, but it won't bring us even close to Europe where rules are seemingly incredibly relaxed at the moment.
This is what is perplexing Europeans about the British approach. It makes people question whether the vaccines are really that effective, if these tests are deemed necessary, and that is not good for anyone. Yes I know they're not 100% and there is asymptomatic transmission, but they don't see that the risk justifies the hassle - especially when they see that a large number of these tests are not being done properly or not at all, or they have left again before they get their result back. And of course travellers from most EU countries are travelling from places where the current infection rate is way, way lower than the UK, and that adds to the sense of old British high-handedness that they thought was long gone.
caveat: I've only checked the CZ entry rules before writing this, but what's striking about the last few months is that EU countries have quietly harmonised a lot of travel rules. I think that once the vaccines came properly on stream, that calmed a lot of political nerves and co-operation returned. It could still be upended come the winter, but there is a much better approach visible.
French people can be just as dumb and irresponsible as British people, of course.
If it was up to the French, some wouldn't give a toss about wearing a mask either.
The French government know this and therefore make it illegal not to wear a mask on public transport and inside any building where the public has access. There's fixed penalties to deter those who think they are above the law.
The French government can be seen as taking responsibilty for their situation.
Compare to the British Government's stance of "letting the people use their common sense"........ perhaps their concept of herd immunity, by stealth?
Yeah, when you've lived or spent an extended period of time in another country, you become familiar with that country's ways of handling the pandemic.
And then by comparison, after you have had to jump through all the hoops when you need to come back, you realise what a shambolic mess the British Government is in and how in the UK, people can basically do whatever they want regarding risk of Covid.
It's still free.
I'm now looking to book a test in the UK but I still can't find one for a decent price. I ask for Greater London and then I click on one and it turns out to be in Chester (to give one example).
This morning's place just illustrates how people really feel about it if given the choice. Personally I've given up with conversations wearing a mask. I just give up talking to people.
I have had the same re the approved suppliers; you have to go through each one to check the price and circs etc.
But when I needed to come home this week, I had to pay for mine at our local French pharmacy.
As you're a French resident like my GF, you'd get your French one free/reimboursed through your Mutuelle.
1. 60 or 70 quid
2. NOT SUITABLE IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN THE UK.
3. Up north or Peterborough at best
4. In Putney but no availability for September
5. In North London at a clinic but when you try to click on a date it doesn't work
I get to this one https://www.travel19.co.uk/day-2-8 - the 13th one on the list - it's a postal one for 20 quid for vaccinated people from Amber countries. I fill in all the details and then when I get to the payment page it's sold out.
That's over 90 minutes I've been trying.
I give up.
You may as well say 'I chose to exercise my freedom of movement so it's only right that I have to pay for it'
I apologise for giving my opinion at all on this thread.
All I want is to book a PCR test for 20 quid without spending hours and hours at it. Is that really unreasonable?
My point was that if the test is free in France for French residents
then why isn't in free in the UK for UK residents?
I feel for you, mate. Earlier this week in France, I was pulling my hair out trying to go through this type of thing - and that was before spending over an hour trying to fill in a UK Locator form on the gov.uk site - which kept throwing me out and my having to start again every time!
After two hours of trying they were the only ones I could do a booking with for a test I can either do at home or reasonably get to for under 30 quid. I was tempted to book a 20 quid one in Manchester with no intention of going to actually do the test but I went for the company for whom I do the test but probably will never get the results.
What a joke!!!!!!
Do I have to do anything else? Suck Boris Johnson's Johnson maybe?
It was, but was taken off on Sept. 2. But of course it may have gone back on
Read more: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/09/expert-medicals-removed-from-day-2-and-day-8-testing-list/ - Which?