After the year we have had with the Corona virus pandemic, we know that if you're planning a holiday in 2021 you will be keeping an eye on the latest information and advice concerning travel issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
As well as knowing where it is safe to travel, it is also important to bear in mind but you will need a Fit To Fly certificate either the standard version or the COVID-19 version. We have prepared a guide for you so that you understand the difference between the two certificates.
After yet another change to the quarantine rules we're all having to adapt to evolving advice. here are some tips from us to help you and but confidently on your travels
The standard Fit To Fly certificate provides proof that a doctor has certified that you are safe to fly. This kind of certificate may be used if you've been ill immediately before your departure or have some other medical condition that might be queried by the airline. Some common scenarios when a standard Fit To Fly test and certificate might be required might be:
if you think that any of these scenarios apply to you then you should start the process of getting your Fit To Fly certificate early so that you do not have any last minute panics over it.
A growing number of airlines now require their passengers to have evidence of a negative COVID-19 test before they will permit them to fly. A COVID-19 Fit To Fly certificate will be stamped and signed by a Doctor who is registered with the General Medical Council and the certificate will confirm to your airline that you have no symptoms of COVID-19 and have also tested negative for a PCR test. The PCR test result will be produced after a swab has been taken from your nose and throat at our clinic and analysed at a local UKAS accredited laboratory. Not every country will require the Fit-To-Flycertificate. Some countries such as those in the Caribbean and Dubai in the Middle East will be happy with a laboratory report.
We would advise you always to check what your airline requires. This is because some places will need a sample from 72 hours before you fly while others want the sample from 96 hours before you plan to fly. We suggest that you contact the airline at the same time as you book your ticket to make sure you have the right information for your destination. We will always guarantee a 48 hour turnaround time for PCR tests. Most of them,however,will be returned to us from between 24 to 36 hours. We always suggest that you allow the full 48 hours when calculating when you should come for your test. If the time that you need to be tested is over a weekend, simply contact us to make these arrangements
As we have seen, regulations with regard to travel in the COVID-19 pandemic are subject to change, and indeed we have now been informed the five day quarantine period as opposed to a 14 day quarantine is being introduced in the middle of December, with the test at the end of the five days. keep yourself up to date with the information issued by the government and with the specific requirements of the airline you are travelling with.
The PCR tests that we carry out test for an active infection by coronavirus even if a patient has no symptoms at all. The test has a 99.9% accuracy if the sampling is done correctly. For that reason we ask that you ensure you follow the sample collection instructions precisely.
The results produced to say that you have no COVID-19 infection last only a short time which is why the time before you have the test is important to observe. Check with your airline to find out how long before you fly your test should be taken.
The fee for a Fit To Fly certificate is £50 on top of a fee of £199 for your PCR test. This covers the testing and certification by a GMC registered doctor and an official stamp on your certificate. You do not need to pay for the test before hand and there will be no charge if you need to cancel, although we do ask that you try to give us 24 hours’ notice if you are not going to come for your appointment.
Yes, all tests are conducted in our clinic so that we can regulate the turn-around time and the conditions in which the tests are taken. Sometimes, when people take the swab themselves, they do not take enough material for analysis.
You should only ever use an NHS test facility If you have symptoms of COVID-19. The other reason that this type of test is not available on the NHS is because it is for travel and will require an actual accredited laboratory report which would not be provided by the NHS who text or email results to the people that they test.
Yes, children of all ages can take the test. However for children who are under 2 we will normally ask parents to take the swab from their infant while a member of the nursing team supervises them.
Most people have had a PCR swab test will say that it is slightly uncomfortable but not painful. The swab being taken from the throat can sometimes make you want to gag a little and having a swab up your nose is not that comfortable either! However the swab only takes about 10 to 15 seconds so it's all over very quickly.
As you may have seen, this is a list that changes every day, according to the number of cases reported in each destination. You should always be guided by your airline as to what documentation or certification you need when you travel. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have the right information before travel.
If you are planning to travel and looking for a COVID-19 fit to fly certificate near me then contact us now to make arrangements for your PCR testing and Fit To Fly certificate at Medical Express Clinic today on:
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