COVID-19: Fears for return of overseas travel as private companies accused of “monetizing coronavirus” with expensive tests | UK News

Fears are mounting that the COVID testing system for people entering the UK is not suitable, as travelers say they have not received expensive test kits or results from private providers.

People arriving in the UK from countries not on the ‘red list’ must currently self-quarantine for 10 days and pay for PCR COVID tests to be carried out on the second and eighth day to be allowed to leave self-isolation.

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The government has a list of vendors from which travelers can purchase the tests, with companies providing a reference number to be able to board the flight, then sending the tests to them at home, with the results emailed to them.

The vendors themselves declare that they meet the standards, and there are also a limited number of labs that can process the tests, which also test for variants.

But hundreds of people have reported that the tests never arrived, arrived late, or their results weren’t returned – and some companies say companies are refusing to reimburse them for the tests which cost around £ 200.

A Facebook group of people complaining about the issues has grown to 1,700 in recent weeks, with fears that if this is not sorted out by May 17 – the earliest Britons will be allowed to go on holiday to l foreigner – the problem could be much bigger.

Agnes Kegl, from Maidenhead, bought tests for herself and her son, Aron, for £ 400 when they returned from Hungary for work – but did not receive a test kit until 13 days after arriving in the UK .

She had to buy more tests from another provider – an additional £ 400 – in order to be able to leave quarantine after the NHS COVID helpline answering machine said she would have to quarantine her until that she get the negative tests and results.

The government then clarified that people could leave quarantine after 14 days with no results.