Covid- 19 Fit to Travel testing
Fortunately the need for covid testing for travel is now over. We have packed up our PCR machines and fingers crossed that they are never needed. We still have the facilities in place for rapid antigen testing.
With at least 7 days notice we are still able to procure and provide PCR tests please contact Conon Bridge Pharmacy direct on 01349 866694 for details and costs.
How to book
Please read the following information carefully as this forms part of our contract and the terms and conditions of sale and by booking you are agreeing to our terms and conditions.
Please phone the pharmacy to book an RT-PCR or rapid antigen test and certificate for;
Fit to fly
Fit to travel
Fit to work
The pharmacy cannot give advice on which test to have or when to have it.
Before booking please determine the time window for your country and whether this window is time before departure, arrival or check in to hotel time. Each country is different and we cannot provide advice on this
So it is your responsibility to ensure you book within the prescribed time limits for entry to your country of travel. The pharmacy cannot provide advice nor can we assume responsibility or liability for if your test appointment is too early or late.
The uk government provides advice and guidance at Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
You MUST bring a passport for all international travel and photo ID for all other tests.
Inconclusive tests- this can occur when there is not enough material on the swab. The pharmacy is not liable for this and is unable to refund, we will inform you if this happens asap and will re-book you in at the earliest. There is a charge of £140 to rerun a new sample. If it is vital that you travel then please take into account that, however unlikely, it is possible that a retest may be needed. We will help you to be very thorough and supervise to ensure both sides of your throat and both nostrils are swabbed correctly. Our invalid result rate is 0.0005% so you are unlikely to have an invalid result.
Invalid tests are caused by; improper swabbing; contamination from clothes, hair and skin; chewing gum, alcohol (we strongly advise not attending under the influence as alcohol in the breath can affect the testing chemicals); hand sanitiser, hands must be dry from alcohol based sanitisers.
Positive test- If your test is positive you may not be able to travel and you must follow the latest guidelines. Unfortunately we cannot refund in this event as we are not liable or responsible for loss of income or costs incurred.
Missed Guaranteed time- in the event of force majeure the pharmacy will not be held liable, examples could be a power cut, closure due to changes in Covid-19 regulations or closure due to Covid-19 infection within the pharmacy staff or changes in covid-19 testing licenses. We will not book more tests than we can do so it is highly unlikely that guaranteed times will be missed. In the unfortunate event this happens a refund will be made in full but the pharmacy cannot accept liability for loss of income or expenses incurred.
Certificate error- it is possible that a simple spelling mistake or wrong time or date is placed on the certificate, in most circumstances this should not be a problem, however we ask you to please check the certificate carefully, name, dob, passport no. gender, times, dates and let us know as soon as possible in order to correct. The email that accompanies your certificate will provide contact details such as email, landline and an emergency out of hours mobile number.
In the event of an error that prevents travel and no reasonable steps are taken to contact us we cannot take responsibility or liability for any inconvenience or costs incurred.
Procedure for booking
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Phone the pharmacy to arrange an appointment. The pharmacy will email a booking form that needs to be completed for each person
Procedure for test
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Come to pharmacy at your appointment time, we may not be able to accommodate you if you are early or late
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We take payment and check passport/ id details
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We demonstrate how you will perform the swabbing, remember you will need to swab yourself, this is for the safety of our staff.
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Perform test
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The test is processed in house
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Your certificate is emailed by the agreed guaranteed time
FAQs
The Service You’re Looking for
What is the test for?
The PCR or the antigen test may be required for fit to travel certificates and fit to work certificate.
What is the PCR test?
The RT-PCR test is a NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test) with the results produced on a point of care PCR machine. The test check s for ORF1b and N proteins.
We use Gensys pcr machines
What is a rapid antigen test?
This is a lateral flow test, it works by testing for N proteins. They are not as accurate or reliable as PCR tests.
When should i book my test?
As soon as possible but no more than 2 weeks in advance.
How do i book
Phone Conon Bridge Pharmacy direct on 01349 866694
Do I need to book each person separately?
Yes, each person will be given their own certificate so we need each persons individual details. They can use the same email address.
What test do i need and when do i need it?
We cannot provide any advice on this please ask your travel operator or employer for guidance, further help can be found at Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Can i just turn up for a test?
No. The pharmacy is busy and only a handful of staff are trained to perform the tests and use the PCR machines! We will try and accomodate when we can
Do I need ID?
You MUST bring your passport if leaving the uk or a photo id for all other tests. Results cannot be sent out until we check these details,
How do I pay?
Please pay by cash or card when you arrive for your appointment.
Do I pay for VAT?
Tests performed by a pharmacist for an individual are zero rated. If you are paying for a company or on a company card it will count as occupational health and is subject to 20% vat.
Can i cancel my test?
Yes for rapid antigen tests there is no charge for cancelling, all we ask is that you please give as much notice as possible.
PCR tests are charged in advance and there is no refund for cancelled tests.
What information will be on my certificate?
Full Name; Gender; D.O.B; Swab Date; Swab Time; Processing time; Result time; Result; Machine ID; Reference ID; Test Methology (RT-PCR or rapid antigen); Gene type tested for- ORF1b and N; Lab address and contact details
QR code- only if requested; signed and electronically stamped.
I need addition items placed on my certificate?
Please put any requests in the notes section of your booking form and if we can do it we will let you know
I need a QR code?
We can place a QR code on your certificate, currently only a handful of countries require this so we only do it if needed. QR codes are only valid for 14 days from issue and will not be valid after this time.
How do I receive my certificate?
Your certificate will be issued as a pdf document sent to the email address you indicate on the booking form.
You can request a hard copy, this can be signed in ink and collected from the pharmacy by agreement.
Can you test children?
Children under 12 can only be tested if the country of travel requests it, Wherever possible it is best for the child to swab themselves or if unable the guardian will be required to swab.
My test certificate has an error?
Please email as soon as possible. The email from us will have two emergency out of hours contact numbers, please use these if needed.
Why so expensive?
We are often asked why it is so expensive and if we are taking advantage; we promise that we are performing the tests as cheaply as we can. Unfortunately it is all down to numbers, we can only test 1 sample at a time up to a max of 50 a day. The large providers have multiple instruments that can test 144 a time and have capacity for 12,000 to 20,000 a day. We therefore cannot purchase the materials in sufficient bulk to reduce the costs.
Why use you over a cheaper service?
Good question and its simple- we guarantee our service and meet our guaranteed times, no middle man no lost in post, only 4 invalid results since August 2020. Only 2 late tests ever. We don't book in more than we can test. You can have your results back same day, some cases as little as 2 to 4 hours.