BritInParis

Widespread reporting that the US government is expected to shortly announce the lifting of restrictions on fully vaccinated travellers from the UK and EU to take effect from November.

civilservant

All because he irritated the EU with AUKUS.

Oh Biden.

SeattleFreeze

Some pointers from my trip back home to UK

The Antigen tests were sufficient to get me into the UK and out to the US.

Spent nearly $300 on testing in the UK. The logistics and worry about the wait It is such a pain.

Verifly App worked well for me.

2 days after I arrived back to the US I tested positive for Covid and got very sick. Now I am fully recovered.

tht

Maybe, or because FDA/CDC are not instep with him on 3rd/booster shot and he needed alternate / more positive news cycle… and something based on an EO is easy because he can do it without any approval and control the timing…

destone

Were you fully vaccinated by Pfizer prior to your trip to the UK? I.e. are you another “breakthrough” case?

SeattleFreeze

Fully vaxed Moderna.

robin1234

I’m flying to England (IAD - LHR) on Thursday, October 7, for an eight week stay. I’m a dual (UK, US) citizen, resident in the US. For vaccination documentation, I have the New York Excelsior Pass & the CDC card with vaccination details.

I’d thought that a COVID test, within the three days before boarding, was a requirement, in addition to the UK day 2 booked test and the Passenger Locator Form. Now I’m looking at this page, which says that a COVID test is no longer required prior to boarding in order to enter the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-ambe...tering-england Like a lot of British government instructions it is confusingly and obscurely written. But am I reading the whole document right, no test needed for boarding or entering UK?

destone

Correct, effective October 4.

robin1234

Thanks.

In a way, I’d prefer they hadn’t relaxed this rule. Now there’s even more chance of people with a COVID infection being on the plane with me.

Lion in Winter

I would have thought that pre-travel tests made sense, but statistically speaking I could well be wrong.

Take some comfort from the fact that transmission risk on board a plane appears to be very low - air flow, filters, physical barriers from seats to masks, people not moving around and talking face to face etc.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...rticle/2771435

Chins

I'd be more worried about domestic flights where you have anti vaxers on the plane. Planes are rammed again and airports getting very busy. The Transatlantic flights at least have the vast majority of people that have double jabbed.

destone

TBH, I’ve seen more mask-wearing compliance on domestic U.S. flights than international flights due to the hefty fine threat and airline ban imposed within the U.S. for non-compliance. On British Airways flights, in contrast, there is zero consequence.

Lion in Winter

Masking was complete on my Aer Lingus flights Chicago > Dublin > Gatwick > Manchester > Dublin > Chicago last month. They only came off for eating.

Mind you, the flights were only 1/3 full.

robin1234

Yes, I have to fly Ogdensburg, NY to get to Dulles, and there’s no requirement those people are vaccinated. Passengers from IAD to LHR must be fully vaccinated. (When I flew LHR -BOS, British Airways, in June 2020 the masking was very hit or miss.)

destone

You’ll be fine as I suspect that everyone on the NYC-IAD flight will be masked up as no one wants to pay a fine and get a lifetime ban from the airline.

There’s no vaccination requirement to enter the UK. And so I don’t believe that everyone will be vaccinated on the IAD-LHR leg. If you are flying British Airways, BA will not levy a fine or ban you if you refuse to wear your mask.