How to get a Covid test for your holiday, and how to get tested to beat quarantine

Maldives - Getty
Maldives - Getty

For those heading abroad during the festive period, there are certainly a few hurdles to overcome before you reach the beach.

Most countries accepting UK travellers, from the UAE and the Maldives, now require arrivals to present evidence of a recent negative PCR test.

Currently, free NHS tests (either at home or a testing site) are only available to those with symptoms of the virus and the people they live with, as well as patients heading into hospital for surgery or residents of certain virus hotspots.

So, if you feel well but need to prove you are Covid-free, then the best course of action is booking a private test. However, with so many companies selling online PCR tests, choosing a reliable and reasonably priced one can be a minefield. Similarly, private clinic tests can vary dramatically in cost and time guarantees.

There are fears that Christmas clinic closures could lead to delayed results, with those travelling on December 27 or 28 thought to be at particular risk. Some clinics have confirmed that they are operating limited hours around Christmas and the advice is to book your slot early. In regards to home tests, many labs operate seven days a week and will continue to process tests over the festive break, but a lack of couriers could cause problems. Home kit company Vitall, which offers PCR tests for £149, advises posting samples back in good time around Christmas in case of any postal delays.

And the tests for travel don't stop there. British holidaymakers returning from high-risk countries are now able to cut their quarantine period from 10 days to five, if they pay for a test.

Here, we break down how the respective tests work and what to look out for when booking one this winter.

How do pre-departure tests work?

There are two options: ordering a home test kit or booking an appointment at a clinic. Most home kits will arrive within 24 hours and should be sent back the same day. They will then be analysed in a lab and you should receive your results within 48 hours – various companies have different guarantees.

If your test is negative, you should then be sent a certificate declaring you Covid-free. However, concerns have been raised that, as there is no standardised certificate, they could be forged.

Furthermore, it is not always clear how much information is required in each country. As the free NHS test results are just a text message and short email, there is no guarantee that border officials would deem this acceptable. Some companies, such as LloydsPharmacy, whose home kits cost £119, ease fears with example certificates online, which include the name, address and telephone number of both the laboratory and company, plus the name and date of birth of the recipient. Crucially, the date the sample was taken and processed is also recorded. When ordering a kit, it is certainly worth clarifying what will be detailed on your certificate.

Tests at clinics tend to have a quicker turnaround. Harley Street Health Centre in London, which offers tests for £175, guarantees results by 8pm the next day. More broadly, DocTap has a network of clinics across London and offers a range of coronavirus tests, including a next day option, for £149.

Beyond the capital, Boots has recently launched a PCR testing service in 40 stores across the country. It promises results within 48 hours and is priced at £120. The advice to customers is to book appointments for between 60-72 hours before their flights.

Another option is Vivo Clinics, which has PCR testing centres in 10 UK cities (Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edingburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle) and charges £149 for its standard service, or £289 for same-day results.

The highly rated Corona Test Centre has five clinics in London, plus outposts in Manchester and Birmingham. It provides a reassuring 'fit-to-fly' certificate, which is signed by a doctor (from £145). Despite the Christmas rush for tests, the company reports it has plenty of capacity in all seven clinics and is increasing opening hours to supply the demand.

How much do they cost?

This is where things get a little murky – a quick Google search reveals home tests on sale for an eye-watering £500. There is no doubt that analysing tests and returning results in an extremely short window is not a cheap endeavour, but the disparity in pricing is stark. As a guide, there seems to be a pricing consensus of around £120-£150 for kits that return results within 48 hours, with steep rises for shorter time frames.

Nick Burnett and Dr Alasdair Scott from C19 Testing, which charges a relatively reasonable £123 for an at-home test, say that some are engaging in “exploitative pricing.”

They say: “We are operating on thin margins, but as a collective of healthcare professionals, we are not looking to profiteer.” Dr Scott adds: “I wouldn’t be involved if the company wasn’t honest, transparent and evidence-based.”

When choosing a test to order then, it’s certainly a good idea to look at whether doctors are involved and ensuring that the company uses accredited UK lab analysis.

What happens if your results don’t arrive in time?

With some countries, such as the Seychelles, requiring a certificate issued no longer than 48 hours before departure, time is of the essence.

Most companies guarantee a 48-hour turnaround, although it's worth checking the terms as some offer a long window. LloydsPharmacy, for instance, promises a certificate "within three working days." In the event that the results are delayed, which isn't a common occurrence, there's not a lot to be done. Test companies should (and generally do) offer full refunds, but without a certificate travel plans will have to be altered or cancelled.

That said, for late-planners and victims of laboratory bungles, a few companies do offer same-day results. The London General Practice offers test dispatch 24 hours a day, seven days a week and promises results the same day – if swabs are returned by 7am. The service also includes a follow-up video consultation with a doctor and costs £315.

For a last-gasp in-person PCR test, the Fleet Street Clinic guarantees same-day results, with a “typical turnaround time of two to six hours” for £495.

After fears of festive delays, some clinics have confirmed that they will be operating their rapid results services close to Christmas. MyHealthcareClinic will be open on Christmas Eve morning and offers same-day test results for £349, while the Fleet Street Clinic will offer its same-day service on December 24, 28 and 29. What's clear is that travellers will have to fork out for peace of mind this Christmas.

Do I have to get a PCR test?

Many countries currently only accept PCR results, which are considered the ‘gold standard’ of testing, due to being highly sensitive and lab-analysed.

However, rapid testing facilities that return results within an hour, using LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) technology, have recently launched at Heathrow for travellers to Hong Kong and Italy.

Boots also has plans to launch a LumiraDx Covid test that gives results in just 12 minutes. As rapid testing becomes more widespread, countries may soften their stance on accepting these results. Already the Canary Islands (recently struck off the travel corridor list) has announced it will accept antigen test results, which are generally faster and cheaper.

How accurate are PCR tests?

There is some debate about the accuracy of home tests versus those performed at a clinic, as people could self-administer the test incorrectly. However, as the Government itself sends out a huge number of home tests every day, one would hope there is faith in the accuracy.

Travel health specialist Dr Richard Dawood says that test accuracy is “very good” and suggests that potential problems with the certificate system lie elsewhere, with timings, complex flight routings and a potential shortage of tests.

However, with any coronavirus test there is also the possibility that your sample might prove inconclusive. Private Harley Street Clinic says: “Sample failure is rare, but if this happens, the sample needs to be repeated which takes another 24 hours. If the second repeat fails again, a brand-new collection is required.”

It remains unclear how quickly after exposure to the virus you might test positive. The NHS says the optimal time to get a test is within the first five days of symptoms, with less clarity on the pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic. It is not unthinkable, therefore, that you have your in-date coronavirus certificate, but then start showing symptoms on the way to the airport.

How do I get a test to cut quarantine on return?

As outlined above, British holidaymakers returning from destinations without a travel corridor can cut their quarantine period to as little as five days if they take a Covid-19 test.

Under the Government's Test to Release scheme, travellers can choose to pay for a private test from the fifth day of their self-isolation – if they test negative their quarantine can come to an end. An approved list of test providers for the scheme was released on December 14 and includes just 11 names.

There are fears returning travellers could face waiting times of up to 48 hours to get their results back due to delays at testing clinics. If so, the scheme may only cut the standard 10-day isolation time by just three days.

Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy PC Agency, said of the scheme: "It has not got off to a great start. Of the 11 providers listed on the Test To Release website, most cannot help you to leave quarantine early or even meet the demand for testing kits or appointments. Some provider websites are not even working."

Lucas Foertsch, director of Corona Test Centre, which is hoping to be approved for the scheme, said: "The process for becoming an accredited government provider for test to release is rightly and understandably rigorous and we're currently in the application process."

"Our testing centres have already had an influx of customers who have had home or high street tests either not returned on time or in some cases, lost altogether which, in some circumstances has led to missed or delayed flights or lost holidays."

He added: "Rolled out effectively, test and release has the capacity to open up travel once again, particularly in such a crucial travel period of Christmas and New Year."