Private covid testing

[elmsliebev]

17 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I have taken the plunge and booked an at home test with certificate from Boots for £14.99. Ready for my 22 May trip on QM2. I will update as appropraite.

is that an observed one? We need observed ones for Canada and a friend on in November used an At Home video observed one. 

[Victoria2]

21 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I have taken the plunge and booked an at home test with certificate from Boots for £14.99. Ready for my 22 May trip on QM2. I will update as appropraite.

Look forward to hearing how smooth a process it is as it seems very convenient.

[Lanky Lad]

4 hours ago, elmsliebev said:

is that an observed one? We need observed ones for Canada and a friend on in November used an At Home video observed one. 

No this is an un-observed one, but that is ok for Cunard and Norway. £30 for the in store test but they start at 9am so a bit late to do before setting off for Southampton.

[tony s]

So I understand with Cunard. I take an at home test  myself and self report. No doctor or observation required

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, tony s said:

So I understand with Cunard. I take an at home test  myself and self report. No doctor or observation required

 

But don't you need to have a test certificate to produce at the terminal?

[bluemarble]

2 hours ago, tony s said:

So I understand with Cunard. I take an at home test  myself and self report. No doctor or observation required

 

If you are embarking in Southampton, then my understanding is that you may use an at home test obtained from one of the UK-approved test providers where you upload a photo of your test result and perhaps a photo of your passport ID page to the test provider's site. They then provide you with a test "certificate" sent via email or retrieved from their site which you can present at the terminal in Southampton. If that's what you mean by an at home test which you self report, then I believe you are on the right track.

 

But please don't take my word for this since I'm not from the UK. I'm just going by what I have been reading about the process for obtaining test results that are not "medically observed" which would be acceptable to Cunard for embarking in Southampton.

Edited April 28, 2022 by bluemarble

[D&N]

3 hours ago, tony s said:

So I understand with Cunard. I take an at home test  myself and self report. No doctor or observation required

As bluemarble says it must be validated by the supplier.

 

The process for the ones that we have taken with a supplier called Randox Health was; Register on their site providing proof of identity such as passport scan, and of course pay their fee. They then send out a test kit, which looks the same as many home self tests. However the kit they send will have a reference or QR code on it. You carry out the test as you would with a self test, then photo scan the result including the QR code. Supplier relates that code to the details you have registered and checks result issuing a certificate that can be downloaded as a pdf and a QR code that can be read into some of the health pass apps that are available in many European countries.

 

I suspect it's not completely secure in that you could get someone else to do the actual test or perhaps fake the result with some sort of red pen. However that would risk a fraud conviction with a likely custodial sentence.

[Lanky Lad]

My test kit arrived today.

 

I had to register and provided a copy of my passport when I ordered.

 

Once I do the test, I have to log into my acocunt and upload a photo of the kit showing the result. I will then be provided with a certificate. 

 

Thankfully it's just a nose swob and not throat.

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

8 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

My test kit arrived today.

 

I had to register and provided a copy of my passport when I ordered.

 

Once I do the test, I have to log into my acocunt and upload a photo of the kit showing the result. I will then be provided with a certificate. 

 

Thankfully it's just a nose swob and not throat.

 

 

 

For the little the Boots' kit costs, we are thinking of having a trial run to see if we're capable of managing to complete the process without mucking it up. Doing it a few hours prior to boarding and not getting it right would have a ''bit of an effect'' on our holiday plans!

[Lanky Lad]

15 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

For the little the Boots' kit costs, we are thinking of having a trial run to see if we're capable of managing to complete the process without mucking it up. Doing it a few hours prior to boarding and not getting it right would have a ''bit of an effect'' on our holiday plans!

I have to admit that the idea of doing it wrong and not being able to sail is a little troubling.

[bbtablet]

16 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

For the little the Boots' kit costs, we are thinking of having a trial run to see if we're capable of managing to complete the process without mucking it up. Doing it a few hours prior to boarding and not getting it right would have a ''bit of an effect'' on our holiday plans!

Same here - I registered both of us last night with Boots as described here by others and then also ordered one test package as a trial run just for me to make sure I can handle the technology. It's worth it for me just for the reassurance I will get if I can get a certificate out of the process. Then do it for real the day before embarcation (and hope for negative results!).

[Victoria2]

9 hours ago, bbtablet said:

Same here - I registered both of us last night with Boots as described here by others and then also ordered one test package as a trial run just for me to make sure I can handle the technology. It's worth it for me just for the reassurance I will get if I can get a certificate out of the process. Then do it for real the day before embarcation (and hope for negative results!).

Ditto and to be doubly sure, I will do mine at the same time on the same day of the week we will be doing it for real. We've waited too long for this holiday to mess it up by being a klutz in the last few hours pre boarding. 🙂

[Kristal Blade]

I have just been checking my NHS app. I have a certificate of recovery from Covid as I was PCR tested in late March when I had Covid. Does anyone know if I can use this to avoid having to test prior to my flight to USA then prior to boarding? 
Also, is there a time limit on how long ago you had Covid and recovered?

Thanks for any help.

Edited May 1, 2022 by Kristal Blade
Spelling error

[Host Hattie]

4 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

I have just been checking my NHS app. I have a certificate of recovery from Covid as I was PCR tested in late March when I had Covid. Does anyone know if I can use this to avoid having to test prior to my flight to USA then prior to boarding? 
Also, is there a time limit on how long ago you had Covid and recovered?

Thanks for any help.

I can't see any reference to an exemption so I would think you would need to get a test to be safe.

[Kristal Blade]

I have done a bit more digging on the BA website. I need a letter confirming I am clear for travel after recovering from Covid. The page on my nhs app doesn’t include the “clear for travel” statement.

Got to book a test.

Host Hattie, you were right!

[BklynBoy8]

Reading all the posts, we feel so sorry for the trouble everyone is stating. When we have all access to testing available to us in The Big Apple USA.

Even our shelves are packed with home tests now for our purchasing.

[elmsliebev]

On 5/1/2022 at 8:13 PM, BklynBoy8 said:

Reading all the posts, we feel so sorry for the trouble everyone is stating. When we have all access to testing available to us in The Big Apple USA.

Even our shelves are packed with home tests now for our purchasing.

we have plenty of places to get tested in the UK. Our problem is timings and that for boarding in Canada we have to have a private observed test, either a PCR 72 hours before, or an antigen test a day before. I test regularly for work, but can't use that for the cruise. Ho hum, it will get sorted! 

[frankp01]

On 5/1/2022 at 3:13 PM, BklynBoy8 said:

When we have all access to testing available to us in The Big Apple USA.

The inexpensive home tests are abundant, but those don't qualify for US boarding. In NYC I found affordable rapid tests to be very scarce. The ones I've tracked down are $150.

[Tonopah]

We’ve found both a Lloyd’s Pharmacy and a Randox Clinic in walking distance to our hotel in London. Since we will be traveling three days prior to our embarkation we will (at this point) need a one day rapid return test prior to boarding the coach to Southampton. We don’t travel until October so we’re hoping the requirements will be loosened by then. Some rapid tests cost hundreds and we’d rather spend that money on something (anything) else.

[BklynBoy8]

3 hours ago, frankp01 said:

The inexpensive home tests are abundant, but those don't qualify for US boarding. In NYC I found affordable rapid tests to be very scarce. The ones I've tracked down are $150.

We are lucky we have a friend that works in a doctor's office and get a certified rapid test results in in a 10 hour turnaround. Nice to have connections. 

[cpc3639]

5 hours ago, elmsliebev said:

we have plenty of places to get tested in the UK. Our problem is timings and that for boarding in Canada we have to have a private observed test, either a PCR 72 hours before, or an antigen test a day before. I test regularly for work, but can't use that for the cruise. Ho hum, it will get sorted! 

I think we are in same cruise as you. I’m buying this one. Fit to fly observed £19.99. My friends just used on different line from Canada and said all worked fine 🤞

https://tests.medicspot.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6Lm4nMOx9wIVhdrICh1EVQfXEAAYASAAEgJQdvD_BwE&hsa_acc=9479851886&hsa_ad=565740155266&hsa_cam=15440451305&hsa_grp=135646665732&hsa_kw=medicspot&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-595947354691&hsa_ver=3&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=ppc&utm_source=adwords&utm_term=medicspot

[frankp01]

17 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

We are lucky we have a friend that works in a doctor's office

You *are* lucky. We have a CVS here in one of the suburbs where we can get a rapid test. But, for some reason, rapid tests are much harder to find than the lab PCR tests. There are only 3 CVS locations, I think, that do the rapid test. The private labs, which are the ones most readily available, both here and in the UK, are *pricey*. I think we paid about $100 at the Regenerative clinic in Southampton.

[elmsliebev]

22 hours ago, cpc3639 said:

I think we are in same cruise as you. I’m buying this one. Fit to fly observed £19.99. My friends just used on different line from Canada and said all worked fine 🤞

https://tests.medicspot.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6Lm4nMOx9wIVhdrICh1EVQfXEAAYASAAEgJQdvD_BwE&hsa_acc=9479851886&hsa_ad=565740155266&hsa_cam=15440451305&hsa_grp=135646665732&hsa_kw=medicspot&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-595947354691&hsa_ver=3&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=ppc&utm_source=adwords&utm_term=medicspot

Thanks for that. We fly out on 10th July Man-LHR-Vancouver. Will you test before you go or in Canada?

[cpc3639]

53 minutes ago, elmsliebev said:

Thanks for that. We fly out on 10th July Man-LHR-Vancouver. Will you test before you go or in Canada?

In Canada as we fly out on 7th 

[cpc3639]

I had a conversation today with Cunard with ref to folk being bumped off. She said she could not guarantee anything about Alaska voyages as the struggle is with staffing. I also asked what the procedure would be if our observed test came back positive prior to boarding in Vancouver The answer was you will need to be guarded by Canadian Gov site and their requirements. I could not get clear clarification as how our return flight would then be managed. I honestly am regretting booking. Am I worrying unnecessarily?