How to plan safe travel this Christmas.
Daniel Cheung, from Medix Pharmacy in Stevenage, offers his advice to make planning your trip this festive season, easier and safer for all involved.
Q: Do I need to book a Covid-19 test before meeting with family?
A: I recommend booking a Covid-PCR before travelling to see your loved ones. With many people still unsure of their Covid status, it’s best to book a test as an extra precaution before meeting with your family and friends.
It can help you protect your loved ones and offer you peace of mind to know you have a negative result before confirming your Christmas plans.
Q: What will I need to fly safely?
A: A negative Covid-PCR (antigen) test is required by most countries before flying. You may also need to produce a ‘Fit to fly’ certificate signed by a medical professional which we can also provide.
Airlines are advising not to use the NHS testing for travel and suggest booking a private one. This allows the NHS to reserve tests for those that genuinely need one.
All our test results are lab-certified as most airlines require this and we use the Covid RT-PCR (Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) method which is the gold standard for testing for Covid and is more sensitive than the LAMP (Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification) based method.
Once we have your travel destination and flight details, we can book your appointment and ensure you have all the necessary travel documents.
Q: When should I book my test?
A: Allow the maximum amount of time to be tested before travelling – this will ensure you have the documents you need in time for your flight. We can recommend the best time to book.
Our current turnaround time for Covid-19 PCR viral test results is 48 hours. However, if there’s a spike in the number of tests being done, this could delay things, so it’s best to be prepared.
Q: Should I also book an antibody test?
A: You don’t have to, though I recommend booking both an antigen and antibody test for peace of mind.
The antigen test will confirm if you currently have coronavirus and can be done at the pharmacy or home. The antibody test will confirm if you’ve had coronavirus at any time in the past. This test must be done at the pharmacy by a trained professional.
Q: Will I need any other travel vaccines?
A: Possibly, depending on where you are going. We are a yellow fever centre and can test for Yellow Fever, as well as, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, typhoid and more. When you call us to discuss your travel arrangements, we can book you in for any other relevant travel vaccines.
Q: What advice do you have for passengers preparing to travel?
A: Self-isolate after you’ve had the test until the day you travel. Stay up to date with all travel recommendations and confirm your travel arrangements the day before you leave.
When arriving at the airport, use online check-in where possible and pay close attention to social distancing measures and rules in place.
Q: What will I need to do when I return to the UK?
A: Government guidance, from December 15, 2020, says that if you’re returning from a red-listed country, you can cut your self-isolation period from 14 days to 5 days if you obtain a negative PCR test.
This will allow passengers to safely return to work and visit their loved ones over the Christmas and New Year period.
Book yourself in for a test or contact us to send you a home antigen kit.
Q: How can I get in touch?
A: We’re now running a dedicated helpline to help make it easier to book your Covid-19 test.
Call us on 01438 940654 to book an appointment. Text or WhatsApp us on 07307 023275 or 07716 479454.
Visit mdxhealthcare.com or email covid@mdxhealthcare.com for more information.
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