France-UK travel: Cheaper Covid ‘day two’ tests to begin October 24

Fully vaccinated travellers arriving in England from October 24 will be able to take a cheaper antigen test as opposed to a PCR test after their arrival in the country.

The announcement of the precise date, which has been awaited, means people making plans to travel from France can expect to pay around half the price for their ‘day two’ test.

The UK has authorised the use of ‘lateral flow’ tests, self-administered antigen tests which show a negative or positive result by an indicator on the device.

Those taking them will have to upload a photo of their test onto a website, along with a booking reference from their test provider, so as to have the results verified. If they are positive, the person will have to self-isolate and will be eligible to take a free NHS PCR test to confirm the result.

These can be booked online or by calling 119.

The change relates to passengers arriving from non-red list countries, including France, as long as they are vaccinated with vaccines recognised by the UK, which includes those used in France.

The new tests will be able to be booked online from October 22 with approved providers, and will usually be sent out to the place where you will stay. It is likely that this link will be the appropriate one.

An alternative will be to take one of the tests on site at certain test centres, including ones located in some UK airports where they will be able to take the test after landing.

The test must be taken on or before day two, with the day of arrival being day zero.

Those who are not fully vaccinated or who have been in a red list country in the previous 10 days must still take day two and eight PCR tests and self-isolate.

Read more

What do we have to do to travel from France to the UK?

Pre-departure tests end for vaccinated travellers to UK