Actual Day 2 and Day 8 Test experiences (1 Viewer)

[maz]

I thought it might be useful for future travellers if we gathered together in one thread the actual experiences of those who have undergone the Day 2 and Day 8 tests on returning to the UK.

I chose Nationwide Pathology from the long list of test kit providers on the UK government website. At the time they were charging £169 for the test package, although I noticed that a couple of hours after we booked our tests they had put their price up to £189. They sent the email with the invoice number required for the Passenger Locator Form immediately. They also sent the test packages out straightaway (Royal Mail 24) and they arrived the next day. So far so good ......

We did our Day 2 tests and posted them back (Royal Mail 24) the same day in a Priority Postbox. This happened to be Good Friday (April 2nd) but there was still a collection. Unfortunately they didn’t get delivered on the Saturday or even the following Tuesday, only arriving at the lab early on the Wednesday (April 7th). Nationwide Pathology processed the swabs on Thursday and we received the reports today (Friday) - negative.

We are now awaiting the results of our Day 8 tests which did get delivered within 24 hours by Royal Mail.

Please add your own experiences of the various test providers to this thread. Thank you.

 

[gus-lopez]

although I noticed that a couple of hours after we booked our tests they had put their price up to £189.

I see at least that Schapps has told them all to reduce prices & stop profiteering. Bit late for that.

 

[maz]

I see at least that Schapps has told them all to reduce prices & stop profiteering. Bit late for that.

If the Synlab in Pavia can produce a PCR test result in 24 hours for 50€ - and that includes a member of staff to actually take the sample - then anything over that for a DIY test has to be profiteering.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Sheddy]

We didn't have a choice of test supplier when we returned in February, so £210 each. Our second day tests were posted on a Friday in a priority post box, we tracked them and they did not arrive at the test center untill early hours on the following Tuesday! Royal mail 24!.
We had the results by email early the following morning. Shirl was negative but mine was positive !!
It was almost certainly a false/legacy positive as we had both had CV while in Spain in January. Both of us had tested negative twice prior to departure.
Our isolation was increased to 10 days from my pos test and no further test was required prior to my release. Shirl had to take her 8 day test which was neg with a relatively quick turnaround but had to continue to isolate with me for the 10 days.
We were contacted at least daily by both the Wales " arrival and the Track/Trace teams.
I now have a spare test kit which seems a bit of a waste.

 

[maz]

We didn't have a choice of test supplier when we returned in February, so £210 each.

So your provider was CTM (Corporate Travel Management)?

 

[Sheddy]

So your provider was CTM (Corporate Travel Management)?

Yes

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Theonlysue]

BBC News - 'I'm on day eight and no Covid test has arrived'

'I'm on day eight and no Covid test has arrived'

Customers say they are being "scammed" by private firms failing to deliver Covid test kits and results.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bolti]

CTM for us. Code for passenger locator form received no problem. Test results for day 2 and 8 received within 48 hours although we posted during the working week.

 

[Lucky]

I too had an awful experience from a supplier chosen from the government list. Screen 4 got my day 2 result to me on day 8, and the day 8 result never arrived. I rang 119 for advice and they provided free home tests kits which gave results within 24 hours of me posting them.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[EuroTrotters]

I just took a two-week trip from Spain to the UK with my family – here’s what it was like, and what it cost -
https://english.elpais.com/trans_ib...-heres-what-it-was-like-and-what-it-cost.html

 

[EuroTrotters]

I was chatting to a biochemist and his biochemist wife today.

The reason they say The PCR test is do expensive is that it’s complex and patented. PCR has been around a long time but someone is making a lot of money.

Fact check: Rothschild did not patent a test for COVID-19 in 2015 and 2017

The false claim that a testing method for COVID-19 was patented by Richard Rothschild in 2015 and 2017 has been shared online. The patent for a system that analyses biometric data to determine whether the user is suffering from COVID-19 was not applied for until May 17, 2020.

www.reuters.com

 

[autocaravaner]

We have used London Doctor Clinic. Most providers in London were asking £175+ for a home test with all the postal hazard associated with it. The reviews were also not good in most cases, people reporting that they didn't receive the test/results and stuff like that. If I'm going to spend some money, at least I want to make sure that the test is done properly.

London Doctor Clinic charged us £220 (ouch!) but at least we have a trained professional doing the job and we get to walk to the clinic a couple of days so we thought that it makes more bearable the 10 days self-isolation process. Leaving your self-isolation location to go to the clinic is allowed by gov rules and we used an FFP2 mask to not put anyone at risk.

We did the Day 2 test (negative!) and got our results the next day. The people at the clinic were really nice and we were the only customers there, I guess most choose the home test route.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[autocaravaner]

Travelling from Spain to the UK with a dog did cost us

- PCR in Spain before flying to Paris: 2 * 120 EUR. There was a queue in the lab of around 100 people waiting to have their tests done.
- 2 * UK Travel Package (Day 2 and Day 8 test): 2 * £220
- PCRs for the taxi driver we used to cross through the EuroTunnel with the dog (no other option if you don't have a vehicle to cross and you refuses to put your dog in a plane's cargo hold): £205 (ouch)

So... that's about £805 for PCRs for one trip of a couple with a dog. Some people are indeed making a killing ...

 

[maz]

BBC News - 'I'm on day eight and no Covid test has arrived'

'I'm on day eight and no Covid test has arrived'

Customers say they are being "scammed" by private firms failing to deliver Covid test kits and results.

www.bbc.co.uk

Interesting - thanks for that, Sue.

When I was choosing a provider, I looked at 001Doctor.uk as they were the cheapest by about £10 but didn’t like the look of them. I chose Nationwide Pathology as from their website they seemed well-established and reliable. Not impressed with their turnaround times tho’ - and see they now get a mention in the Hall of Shame in that article.

 

[autocaravaner]

Update: We have been receiving one or two calls per day from the test and trace teams. Today we had a visit from the Police to check that we were self-isolating at home. We are in Central London. This time it looks like the Gov is taking it seriously and doing a good job at trying to stop new variants from getting introduced in the country. We appreciate the effort. It might not be perfect but imagine if we did this March last year!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Theonlysue]

Anyone with the name 001doctor.net has selected this to be at the top of the list.
Taking advantage of the testing requirements.
Now their website or Web address no longer exists.

 

[maz]

Update: We have been receiving one or two calls per day from the test and trace teams. Today we had a visit from the Police to check that we were self-isolating at home. We are in Central London. This time it looks like the Gov is taking it seriously and doing a good job at trying to stop new variants from getting introduced in the country. We appreciate the effort. It might not be perfect but imagine if we did this March last year!

We have had a phone call from T&T every single day - essentially saying the same thing over and over again. Two of them were really nice (both Scottish incidentally) and we had a good chat. Helped to while away the time.

 

[maz]

Anyone with the name 001doctor.net has selected this to be at the top of the list.
Taking advantage of the testing requirements.
Now their website or Web address no longer exists.

Have you looked at the Facebook group that has been set up for victims of (mainly) 001Doctor?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/741586793169975

Makes interesting reading ........

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Theonlysue]

I saw Lloyd's chemist on the list. Was going to use them

 

[maz]

I saw Lloyd's chemist on the list. Was going to use them

They weren’t on the list when we booked and I can’t see them now, but the list has become so lengthy it’s difficult to be sure.

Nationwide Pathology have just positioned themselves as the current cheapest at £159. Don’t know that I’d go so far as to actually recommend them but their turnaround time for our Day 8 tests was quicker than for Day 2. We’ve just got our results in the last 15 minutes and today is Day 10, so tomorrow we are free!

 

[Theonlysue]

Facebook complaints group

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.

www.facebook.com

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Helen Ariel]

We used Nationwide pathology also. £175.00 each. We posted our tests together but I got my day 2 results several days before the hubby (a couple of days after posting) we posted day 8 test on good friday and hubby got his result yesterday and I got mine today. We've been out of quarantine since Monday so luckily they were negative

 

[maz]

We used Nationwide pathology also. £175.00 each. We posted our tests together but I got my day 2 results several days before the hubby (a couple of days after posting) we posted day 8 test on good friday and hubby got his result yesterday and I got mine today. We've been out of quarantine since Monday so luckily they were negative

Good grief! Do you know how much of the delay was down to Royal Mail and how much was at the actual lab?

 

[Helen Ariel]

Good grief! Do you know how much of the delay was down to Royal Mail and how much was at the actual lab?

Both probably as it was a 4 day weekend

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[maz]

Both probably as it was a 4 day weekend

We used the tracking numbers on the envelopes to see when they arrived at the lab.

 

[poacher]

We used the tracking numbers on the envelopes to see when they arrived at the lab.

Royal Mail still staying they don't recognise the tracking number for my Day 8 test ...................................................

I guess it arrived ?? - received the result 4 days ago

(the most efficient / proficient were the 'test to release' people Cerulean Health, who use the DX delivery network - dropped into the DX system @ 1645 Thursday, the other end of the country - result received on Good Friday afternoon)

 

[maz]

Royal Mail still staying they don't recognise the tracking number for my Day 8 test ...................................................

I guess it arrived ?? - received the result 4 days ago

(the most efficient / proficient were the 'test to release' people Cerulean Health, who use the DX delivery network - dropped into the DX system @ 1645 Thursday, the other end of the country - result received on Good Friday afternoon)

Pity Cerulean Health don’t appear to do the Day 2 and Day 8 tests.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}