New Pre Departure Testing for Travel to U.K.

[PolemIan]

FYI if travelling next week.


https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-pre ... t-12486556

Not clear if lateral flow or PCR.

[Arrowhire]

I bought a Lateral Flow Test to use for the Day 2 test and the day before the flight the regulation changed to a PCR test. My question is...can I use this LFT test for the pre departure test? Thanks

[Mike1940]

Anyone coming to the UK as from Next Tuesday will have to provide a Negative PCR test or Lateral flow test 2 days before departure irrespective of vaccinations. Just announced in the UK.

[PhotoLady]

Yes.
But you still have to pre-order a PCR test for the 2 Day test which you must also take no later than 48hrs after arriving in UK then self-isolate until a negative result is confirmed.

[wantoosoon]

With regards to the Day 0-2 PCR test, the best thing is to take a test at the airport when you arrive. Then you hopefully spend less of your holiday in quarantine.

The official UK travel guidance is here. There's more detail about the pre-departure test here.

[Jimgym]

Just reading on the Cyprus Govt. page that people travelling from UK need a negative PCR AND will also be tested at airport. If you choose (as a permitted category) to have only one test, at airport, you will have to have a 2nd test at own expense and isolate until result through and then upload to flight pass website.

[PolemIan]

Jim, where are you reading this? Is this the bit about unvaccinated passengers coming from the U.K. which is defined as Red who have always needed to do a test before departure?

Ian

[Jimgym]

Jim, where are you reading this? Is this the bit about unvaccinated passengers coming from the U.K. which is defined as Red who have always needed to do a test before departure?

Ian

Apologies, ignore my post. It is all incredibly confusing. It says all passengers need a pre flight test, then further down it says they don't! I give up!

[DavidatLWH]

It's here:

https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/uplo ... icalEN.pdf

Scroll down to Red Categories, which includes UK. As far as I can see, no exemption for usual category of passengers (Cyprus citizens, permanent residents etc.)

[RLK]

Cyprus protocols here. https://www.visitcyprus.com/files/Covid ... _21(1).pdf

Q3 concerns vaccinated travellers. No test required to enter Cyprus but all travellers will now need a test on arrival payable by the traveller.

[DavidatLWH]

Cyprus protocols here. https://www.visitcyprus.com/files/Covid ... _21(1).pdf

Q3 concerns vaccinated travellers. No test required to enter Cyprus but all travellers will now need a test on arrival payable by the traveller.

The box at the top of that includes the statement:

"The new measure includes the obligation for all arriving travelers to take a PCR test at
the airport, paid by them, even if they are fully vaccinated"

That seems to contradict what's said later on.

By the way, who is responsible for the Visitcyprus web site? Is it a govt dept?

[Kili01]

All of you, please read the the UK.Gov travel health website emails, particularly the latest ones. As I understand it, to travel to Cyprus, you need a neg PCR test, with print out, within 48hrs before departure. Then you will face another PCR test at your arrival airport in Cyprus.which will also need to give a negative result.
The UK is a Red List country as far as authorities here are concerned. And rife with the Omicrom varient... admissions to our hospitals mean that beds there are filling up rapidly with cases.
Dee

[PolemIan]

Dee, can you please post a link to the requirement stated by the U.K. gov that vaccinated passengers must take a PCR test before travelling TO Cyprus. I normally get emails every time the U.K. a make change to their website and I’ve not got this anywhere. Nor can I find it in the travelling to Cyprus section on Gov U.K.

Quick summary of my understanding (for vaccinated passengers).

Travelling to U.K.:

1. PCR a test within 2 days of arrival in U.K. and isolation until a negative result is confirmed.
2. Wef from today Test prior to departure which can be PCR or Lateral flow (effectively reinstating the procedure in place until earlyish October)

Travelling to Cyprus
1. Mandatory PCR on arrival at Paphos or Larnaca airports at €15 per passenger over the age of 12.

[RLK]

Dee, no test is required for fully vaccinated to enter Cyprus. From 6th December all passengers are PCR tested on arrival at the Cyprus airport.

David, the box at the top of the protocols states ‘in addition to the current protocols’ the visit Cyprus link is the official CTO site, the protocols are updated whenever a change is made. This is the page you need to follow for the correct travel rules for entry to cyprus. https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/

To enter the UK all passengers need a pre departure LFT or PCR test to be taken within 48hrs of arrival. https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

[DavidatLWH]

RLK:

the official govt announcement on Monday says that:


"It is noted that passengers coming from Red Category (which inlcludes the UK) countries shall be required to: a) undergo a PCR laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure proving a negative PCR result and b) undergo a laboratory test upon their arrival in the Republic of Cyprus."

[ast]

RLK:

the official govt announcement on Monday says that:


"It is noted that passengers coming from Red Category (which inlcludes the UK) countries shall be required to: a) undergo a PCR laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure proving a negative PCR result and b) undergo a laboratory test upon their arrival in the Republic of Cyprus."

Absoulutly correct David, if coming form the UK (red) you need to have done the PCR before travel and test upon arrival.

[BOB Peyia]

Easyjet informed me it is PCR on arrival only for fully vaccinated passengers?

[wantoosoon]

If you go to the CyprusFlightPass website, select FAQs > All about COVID-19 Destination Protocol, you get a PDF that was updated on 6 December. In a table, it says red country arrivals don't need a PCR test before flying, then in the following text it says they do. I strongly suspect the test is required, but I wish the government would make its communications easier to understand.

Edit: The PIO also published this page on 6 December. It states:

It is noted that passengers coming from Red Category countries shall be required to: a) undergo a PCR laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure proving a negative PCR result and b) undergo a laboratory test upon their arrival in the Republic of Cyprus.

Then:

The Conditions applied to vaccinated persons or persons who have recovered from COVID-19, so that they can travel to the Republic, from any country of departure, without having to meet the requirements of the respective category, for example RT-PCR test or obligation for self-isolation/quarantine etc or issuance of a special permit, for purposes of entry into the Republic are described in the following link: https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/vacc ... passengers.

If you follow the link, it states:

Passengers of the following categories regardless of their nationality, will be able to travel to the Republic of Cyprus, from any country, without having the obligation to meet the prerequisites of the corresponding country category (e.g. RT-PCR laboratory tests, self-isolation, quarantine etc., or issuance of a special permission to enter the country):

And then the usual vaccination stipulations follow.

So it looks like vaccinated passengers from the UK do not need to do a PCR test before flying to Cyprus. I wish I felt more certain about it though.

[Kili01]

I suspect it is the fact that the UK is on Cyprus Red List is what makes the pre departure test in country of origin a requirement.
Every night if one checks the stats concerning the number of new cases of the virus for the day, increasing numbers are being tested positive on arrival in Cyprus. Far better for tourists to take a test before leaving their country to try to ensure they are negative first. Who wants to spend their holiday in a Govt quarantine centre?

I had a test in the UK within 72hrs of my return flight from UK to Cyprus, which fortunately was negative.

Dee

[RLK]

No test is required to enter Cyprus if fully vaccinated. See Q3 here: https://www.visitcyprus.com/files/Covid ... _21(1).pdf

“Travelers who can prove that they have received all necessary doses of an authorized vaccine (see above), will not be required to undergo any tests to visit Cyprus, irrespective of colour-categorization of their country of departure. Moreover, they will not be placed in quarantine, even in the case when they are close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case.”

The top box of that page states: “Below is a description of the regular entry protocol into the country. Due to the emergence of the new Omicron Variant, travelers will need to follow the regular protocol in addition to a new temporary measure between 6th December 2021 and 10th January 2022.
The new measure includes the obligation for all arriving travelers to take a PCR test at the airport, paid by them, even if they are fully vaccinated, recently recovered, or are already in possession of a negative test. The cost is 15 euros at Larnaca Airport and 19 euros at Paphos airport. Results of the test will be available within 3 hours on the digital platform www.covid-testcyprus.com.”

The only change beginning 6th December is that all arrivals will need to undertake a test on arrival.
It really can’t be any clearer.