Anyone returned from abroad lately?

[cyberknight]

cornwall have asked people not to go unless your prebooked due to a spike in cases , seems everywhere is not what you would call "safe "

 

[vickster]

You know what? The risks are negligible, and we both need a holiday, so you stay at home if you want, we're off. Assuming we can make it work of course.

That's all very well, but there are risks of rule changes, costs of tests here and in Greece, you may have to cut your holiday short or quarantine there or here if something changes. If you have the app installed, you may well get pinged at airport or on plane - I did when I went to Jersey - so although you don't have to immediately isolate being double jabbed, you are advised to get tested and if positive then you'd need to

Have a good holiday, hope all goes smoothly, just be aware it may not

The rules are all in the gov.uk link for amber countries, but subject to change. I'd book with a tour company as they will be on top of what is going on, arrange your tests (for a fee) etc ... and do get comprehensive insurance in case you test positive or catch Covid, before during or after

Having got gastroenteritis in Greece in 2019, the public health system is pretty hit and miss, so get medical insurance as many Drs and clinics are private only, don't rely on EHIC (even if it does still work with Brexit)

 

[newts]

cornwall have asked people not to go unless your prebooked due to a spike in cases , seems everywhere is not what you would call "safe "

I was in St Austell for work early this morning & it does seem very busy down there.
Newquay area had an extremely high covid rate prior to the Boardmasters festival, which in turn has meant excessive transmission.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks for the help. FWIW and in case anyone else is interested, I had no problems getting the covid pass and it was all done in an hour or so.

You will probably need two codes:

• Account Linkage Key
• Practice ODS Code

Not in my case. Don't ask me why, or whether it will be true for anyone else, but I got thru' with NHS number + driving license pic.

 

[vickster]

I didn’t need any ID to activate the App/travel QR codes (I do have a patient access account so maybe that’s it)

 

[byegad]

Northern Ireland has 1000/100000 or 1 in 100.
Locally we have 282, travel if you must, be be aware you are possibly catching and passing on the virus.

To me I'd rather not be responsible for another's illness or death.

 

[vickster]

Northern Ireland has 1000/100000 or 1 in 100.
Locally we have 282, travel if you must, be be aware you are possibly catching and passing on the virus.

To me I'd rather not be responsible for another's illness or death.

He's talking about going to Greece not NI?

 

[Adam4868]

Just returned from Ireland — which is the easiest foreign country to access at the moment. No tests needed so long as one is double-vaccinated. However, the Covid Pass is essential, as it will be for most countries. Start here:
https://covid-status.service.nhsx.nhs.uk/
Beware! Doubtless some people can download theirs without a hitch but it took us more than four days work to access our passes. If there is the least discrepancy between your passport details and your details held by the NHS, the system cannot cope and no-one seems to be able to help on the phone. You will probably need two codes:

• Account Linkage Key
• Practice ODS Code

Be warned — nobody has the faintest idea what these are and where to find them, especially not your GP practice. However, you can find them here:

• Log in to NHS Patient Access
• Click on your name
• Click on the word 'Account' appearing immediately under your name in the drop-down panel.
• Click on 'My GP Practice'

Lurking in the lower part of the practice details you will find both of these codes. Ignorance of the system is the rule on all the help lines and at the GP practice. The most helpful is the covid 119 telephone service. They mean well but know little.
Good luck!

Flew to Belfast last week and needed nothing,they advise you to do a covid test.Family live on the border so crossed it numerous times.Went down to Sligo for a few days and same.Nobody pubs/resteraurants asked for anything.My partner went over from Liverpool to Dublin on ferry and no checks either.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

How was it? We're thinking about a week or two on a Greek island once the schools go back, but are having difficulty getting clear, straightforward and up to date info on what's involved, in terms of tests before & after and that sort of thing. (We're both fully double-jabbed, BTW.) Just wondered if anyone had a recent experience (the rules seem to change constantly). Was it easy/hard, cheap/expensive...and what was actually involved? Thanks.

I'm just back from Rhodes today, by all means pm me if you want really up to date info on any particular questions, rather than spurious stuff about infection rates and Northern Ireland.
It was a minor faff, and there was a cost of course. But it was worth the faff.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Just doing the final planning for a holiday just now and aye, it's been a faff.

Mrs S has failing health but wants to make memories for her grandkids so a holiday was booked for Benidorm last year which got cancelled in April and put back to October 20, then May 21 and now Sep 21. In the intervening period her health has deteriorated to the point that flying isn't an option so we're driving and meeting the rest of the family in Spain. We're both well aware that this will be her last holiday so I'm trying to make it a memorable road trip through France and Spain. Maybe due to Covid, we're staying at some fantastic hotels which haven't been too expensive but the planning has been a ballache. 12 different hotels - all of which have to have disabled access and facilities and then all the Covid paperwork which has been confusing and often contradictory.