Banoonagh

Hi!

I read some posts on here and done some research BUT just want to double check. I was hoping to go home to the UK for an important family event in October for about four days. Any one had any experience travelling to the UK and back during COVID? I've read I need to quarantine for 14 days at the UK end (stay in one residence and not leave) and then the same when I return to the US. How do they ensure you quarantine, and how is this policed? Any issues getting into the UK, or getting back into the USA? I'm holding out on booking flights in case anything escalates - do you think I could just go ahead and book flights, safe in the knowledge that I could get a refund if the situation gets worse??

Thanks all!

Pulaski

It depends what you mean by "important", I suppose.

I have seen several reports of people having travelled, but I am not persuaded that there is any reason important enough for me to travel at the moment, and my family in the UK certainly don't expect me to travel there at the moment either, any more than I expect them to come here.

A family friend here (US) decided to travel with her family (husband and young son), taking all due precautions (makss, SD'ing, non-contact accommodation, etc.) on a road trip from NJ to CO, and she still came back with covid-19. Two months later she isn't fully recovered

notaclue

See my post. Nothing is different. It was a 100% normal trip for me.

Giantaxe

Why does it matter how it's policed? Or are you trying to avoid the quarantine requirement?

If an airline cancels your flight, you're entitled to a cash refund. Otherwise, you're at the mercy of what the airline chooses to offer you.

RICH

14 days waiting at each end makes a 4 day trip a no starter no matter how important the family event.

If you have no time constraints I suppose it is doable. I read of one BE member who came UK to U.S. but I have not encountered anyone going to UK, let alone returning quickly to US
eta if I were to travel to UK it would most likely be to stay with my dad for 2 weeks, but I'm not going if it's mandatory to stay with him😨

RICH

please link to said post!

Pulaski

It was 4 days ago in this subforum .... I nearly posted a link myself, but assumed it was one of those that the OP said he had already read.

civilservant

Here's notaclue's recent thread on the subject:

Travelled to UK during Covid

robin1234

I travelled one way, UK to US. AFAIK, the public health check at the point of entry to the US is US federal, and they pass your information on to your state of residence. I arrived in Boston, MA, and my residence is in New York. The New York public health authorities asked for my voluntary compliance with the 14 day quarantine. I agreed to comply. If I’d declined, they would have obtained a court order, which was a lengthy document in legalese, but threatened a hefty fine or imprisonment if quarantine was broken. New York public health handed this off to my county COVID 19 team. They checked up on me twice a day for 14 days, by phone/text. This involved me taking my temperature twice a day, and reporting any symptoms. As it happens, both the director and assistant director of my county COVID 19 team are personal friends of mine, and I’ve nothing to complain about in the way I was treated..

That was just New York. I suspect some other states would have acted differently.

Banoonagh

This is great info - thanks all. Sounds like it should be do-able without too much fuss, and of course, full precautions.

The event is important enough to me to travel, life is short and family is so special. This year is my mum's 60th, my sisters 40th, and my nan's 90th! Tragically, our baby passed away from a congenital defect, just before COVID got real, and y'know those times when you just need to SEE family, missing this would be a life-long regret - global pandemic or not. We were planning on getting an air bnb in the Lake District and all staying together for the time period - I'm wondering if hikes in the hills are out of the question!

Lion in Winter

So, how does a 14-day UK quarantine work if you turn around and come back in less that a week? Don't you risk exposing everyone you travel with/come in contact with on your return trip as well as the family members you plan to stay with and then everyone they come in contact with after you leave?

Unless something huge changes, I will not be travelling to spend my son's 21st birthday with him at the beginning of October - and I haven't seen him since Christmas - because an observed quarantine makes it impossible for all of the above reasons, plus my son doesn't want his mum exposing herself to any greater risk than necessary (I'm healthy as a horse, but he's a sweety). He'll only ever have one 21st birthday, but this is how it is.

Also, Banoonagh, I'm very sorry for your loss. Unimaginable.

osgood

British Airways have a world wide sale starting tomorrow for two or three days, included is London to Rio for travel between November and June next year for 377 pounds round trip.

mrken30

Another option is to book through www.bajit.com if you are feeling a little flush. But might make avoiding quarantine easier.

mrken30

Not sure if you are flying into Manchester, but Oldham has just been locked down again and the North East is currently a hot spot for Covid.

retzie

You mean after your mandatory 14-day self-quarantine? If the event is important enough to go to, it is important enough to do the quarantine (including moving whatever mountains required to get the time off). IMHO.