The Test to Release scheme is aimed at international travellers who are arriving in England and who wish to shorten their quarantine period.
Everyone who arrives in England from a country that is not on the UK’s red list, must quarantine on arrival for 10 days, and undertake the mandatory travel testing package of day 2 and day 8 testing.
However, travellers also have the option of taking an additional PCR test, purchased privately, on day five of their quarantine which can result in self-isolation ending early, on receipt of a negative result.
It is important to note that the Test to Release test is not suitable for those arriving from countries on the red list, as these travellers have separate guidelines to follow which include quarantining in a government-managed hotel for 10 days.
What do you need to do before travelling to England?
The UK Government is currently recommending that travellers book their Test to Release test before they travel back to England. This means that travellers can then enter details of the test on the passenger locator form which they will be asked to fill in on the way home.
If you decide to take part in the scheme after you arrive back in the UK, then you will need to fill in another passenger locator form.
Getting tested with Fit2FlyTest
Fit2Fly’s Test to Release Test to Release tests are the globally recognised gold standard in RT-PCR tests. If you order your at-home test kit before 2 pm it will be provided with free next working day delivery. However, if you order it on the weekend it will be despatched within 1-2 working days.
At-home testing
Fit2FlyTest provides you with everything you need for stress-free sample collection. Included in your test kit is a swab for you to take your sample, a sample vial, full instructions on how to collect your sample, a patient collection form, and a pre-paid envelope so that you can return your sample to our laboratory.
Our COVID-19 test is a swab-based sample collection that uses a swab to collect cells from your nose and the back of your throat which can help us to diagnose whether you are currently infected with coronavirus or not.
Once we have received your sample at our laboratories, we will analyse your swab and aim to get the results back to you within 24 hours, giving you peace of mind that you can leave isolation early (on receipt of a negative result). You must continue to isolate until you receive your result.
If you receive a negative result from your Test to Release test and have quarantined for the previous five days, then you can end your quarantine.
If your results are positive, however, you must quarantine for another 10 days starting from the day that you took the test.
Even if you get a negative result and leave quarantine early, you will still need to do a PCR test on day 8 as per the government guidelines.
So, if you do use the Test to Release scheme, you will do 3 COVID tests in total – one on day 2, one on day 5 and one on day 8.
Follow these four simple steps:
#1 Book your Test to Release Test before you fly back to England
#2 Test on Day 5 at home with our home test kit
#3 Receive your results within 24 hours of us receiving your sample back at the lab
#4 End your quarantine early if your results are negative
