Sorry to this blunt thread but I cant find the information i'm looking for.
My Family and I are coming to Switzerland from the US. We have to do the 72 hours PCR covid test before we leave to enter. We are then Spending four days in Switzerland and flying out early on the morning of the fourth day to the Uk.
My Question is do we need to do the day 4-7 test as we are leaving on the 4th day?
I don’t think so. You have until day 7 and they are not going to chase you if you’ve left the country. You do need a test to enter the U.K. though, but you’ll need to do that earlier than day 4 in Switzerland.
I suppose if you did your PCR test for the UK on the day you leave Switzerland, you would have fulfilled both requirements. However, you would need a rapid result PCR which would cost a fair bit no doubt and, I found when we did this to leave London recently, that the hanging around time in the vicinity of the airport with all your luggage was purgatory. On a short visit to Switzerland, I don't imagine you would want to do that, but it could work if you aren't on a very early morning flight to the UK.
Regardless of the Swiss 4-7 test (which can be a rapid or PCR), you'll need a rapid test for UK entry and also you'll need to book a day 2 PCR for all of you in the UK to get the reference number which you need for your UK PLF. You could do a day 4 rapid in Switzerland and use that for UK entry at the airport or a pharmacy as mentioned above.
If you can book it then I would suggest ideally depending on the airport (but quite a few now in UK) have 3 hour rapid PCR tests from Collinson which can give you the negative result fast so you can get out of self-isolation (which is mandatory at the UK end until you get your PCR test result). They will give you the correct PLF code for the test as well.
Everyone is overthinking this. Do you think the authorities are going to chase someone up between midnight of day 3/4 and taking an early morning flight? Nope!
They are not going to give a toss, if you have left the country.
Your absolutely right. I’m just trying to make sure I’m doing everything by the book. As we intend to come back to Switzerland in the New year, and don’t want to be on the Swiss sh#t list.
Aha, now I see they are offering a Premium service for £79 which wasn't listed when i checked before, maybe that indicates they have a new test process which is accepted... too confusing... i wish they would join up the dots so we don't have to individually...