Fit2FlyTest is a private provider of day 2 and day 8 testing kits for travellers who are arriving from an amber list country and who are not fully vaccinated.
What are the testing requirements for when I return to the UK?
All travellers to the UK must:
- provide proof of a negative COVID test result taken up to three days before departure
- book post-arrival testing (either day 2 or day 2 and day 8 testing kits)
- complete a UK passenger locator form
The testing requirements you are required to undertake will depend on whether you are returning from a country on the red list, amber list or green list – and more information on entering the UK can be found on the UK governments website.
- Arriving from a country on the green list – you need to do a day 2 test
- Arriving from a country on the amber list and are fully vaccinated – you need to do a day 2 test
- Arriving from a ocountry on the amber list and NOT fully vaccinated – you need to quarantine at home for 10 days and so a day 2 and day 8 test
- Arriving from a country on the red list – you need to purchase a hotel quarantine package, that includes hotel costs and tests, and then quarantine in that hotel for 10 days
The only exception to this is if you arrived from the common travel area – which is the UK, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and Ireland – then you do not need any test on arrival.
What does fully vaccinated mean?
Fully vaccinated means you have received both doses of the vaccine either
- under the UK vaccination programme
- under the UK vaccination programme overseas
- or under an approved vaccination programme in Europe or the USA (as not all vaccination programmes are recognised in the UK)
Do children need to take the Day 2 and Day 8 tests?
The UK government say that children under the age of 4 do not need to take the day 2 or day 8 test.
Do I need to take transit stops into account?
When you arrive back in the UK, you should follow the rules for the highest risk country or territory you have visited or passed through in the previous 10 days – including any transit stops.
A transit stop is defined as a stop where you can get on or off the same part of the transport in which you were travelling. It applies to aeroplanes, ships and trains. Your ticket will usually show if a stop is a transit stop as well.
How should I prepare for my trip back to the UK?
You should take a COVID test within 3 days of your travel date to the UK.
You will also need to buy a day 2 testing kit or day 2 and day 8 testing kits from a private supplier before you board your transport back to the UK.
You must also complete a passenger locator form and include the address where you will be quarantining and your booking reference number for the COVID tests you have to take after arriving in the UK. If you are planning on taking a Test to Release test then you will also need to include the name of your test provider as well.
If I wish to travel to the UK from a red list country, what should I do?
At the moment there is a ban on travel from red list countries to the UK. This means if you are travelling from, or have passed through a red list country in the 10 days prior to arriving in the UK, then you must ensure you adhere to the UK government’s guidelines of booking and staying in a quarantine hotel.
Once I am back in the UK, how do I get to my quarantine location?
If you have symptoms of COVID, you should not travel by public transport, and all other travellers should only use public transport if absolutely necessary.
When will my quarantine be over?
This depends on where you are travelling from.
If you are travelling to the UK from a country on the green list then you do not need to quarantine, but you do need to take a day 2 test. If this test returns a positive result, then you should quarantine for 10 days from the date of the test.
If you are travelling to the UK from a country on the amber list, then you must quarantine for 10 days – even if you test negative for COVID on day 2 and day 8. You can use the Test to Release test, however, to leave quarantine after the fifth day (if you test negative for COVID). You must still take the day 8 test even if you take the Test to Release test.
If your day 8 test is negative, you should still quarantine for the full 10 days.
If your day 2 test is positive, you must quarantine for 10 days from the date of the day 2 test. If you are in quarantine with people you have travelled with, then they will also need to quarantine for a further 10 days.
If your day 2 test is negative then you do not need to take any further tests. However, if you are quarantine with other people then they will need to take a day 8 test even if they have received a negative result from their day 2 test and do not have any symptoms.
If your day 8 test is positive then you must quarantine for a further 10 days from the date of your day 8 test. If your day 8 test is inconclusive, then you need to do another test and quarantine for 14 days from this date, or until you receive a negative test result.
Is the Day 2 and Day 9 Testing Kit different to the Test to Release scheme?
Yes!
Guidelines and legislation are constantly changing, and it can be hard to keep up.
The Test to Release scheme involves taking a PCR test on day 5 after your arrival in the UK, for the purpose of being released early from quarantine.
The Test to Release scheme is optional, it is up to you whether you buy it or not, whereas the Day 2 and Day 8 testing is mandatory.
Please note, even if you test negative on your Test to Release scheme test, and finish your quarantine early – you will still need to take your Day 8 test.
If I test positive on either my Day 2 or Day 8 test, what should I do?
If either test – Day 2 or Day 8 – are positive, then you must quarantine for an additional 10 days.
The purpose of the Day 2 and Day 8 tests is to detect travellers who are carrying any variant of Coronavirus. A positive test result is therefore further analysed with genome sequencing by our labs to look for this – at no extra cost to you.
When will I get my test results?
If you are using the Priority Royal Mail option then we send the kits out to reach you by Day 2 at the latest. It usually takes a day for the sample to be received back to us. and then around 24 hours for our labs to process your result.
Lets look at a worked example to help you understand more clearly:
Day 0 – you arrive back in the UK on June 1st
Day 1 to 2 – your testing kit arrives on June 2nd or 3rd
Day 2 – you take your Day 2 test on June 3rd and post the sample back to us
Day 3 – your Day 2 sample reaches our lab on June 4th
Day 4 – your Day 2 test result should be ready on June 5th
Day 8 – you take your Day 8 test on June 9th and post the sample back to us
Day 9 – your Day 8 testing kit reaches our lab on June 10th
Day 10 – your Day 8 test result should be ready on June 11th
I am staying in the UK for less than 8 days, do I need to purchase a Day 2 and Day 8 test?
No. You just need to order the Day 2 testing kit only.
What happens if I extend my stay beyond 8 days, after booking a Day 2 testing kit only?
You can order a separate Day 8 testing kit from Fit2Fly.
What will happen if I do not register my test?
If you do not register your tests then they will come back to our lab still for testing, but we won’t know whose it is and you will not get your results.
You will also need to then arrange for replacement tests.
Where do I find my reference number for my Passenger Locator Form?
Your reference number can be found in your order confirmation email.
How do I perform my test myself?
All of the Fit2FlyTest COVID tests come with very clear instructions for use. Please make sure you read them carefully and complete them as specified.
Hopefully, this article has answered any questions you may have had about the Day 2 and Day 8 tests for when your return from an amber list country. You can always contact our customer service team at hello@fit2flytest.com or by phone.
