How to get a COVID-19 test for travel

An increasing number of countries require travellers entering the country to have had a PCR test to show whether they are infected with Covid-19.

We break down everything you need to know about getting a 'fit to fly test' before you travel from cost to reliability. 

So what exactly is a PCR test? 

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test can detect antigens stimulating an immune response. In normal English? It indicates whether patients have an active, specific infection such as Covid-19. 

Why do I need one?

Upon reopening, an increasing number of destinations are insisting all arrivals – or those from certain countries – produce a negative PCR test in order to gain entry. This is now mandatory for British visitors to various Caribbean nations, the Maldives, Mauritius, Cambodia, Cyprus and, newly, Italy (for those willing to self-isolate on return), among others.

Will it become standard practice?

Very possibly, according to Jiten Vyas, of VFS Global, a visa-facilitation provider that can arrange PCR tests. ‘An integrated Covid-19 testing solution can become a catalyst in international travel’s recovery by being a major risk mitigator,’ says Vyas.

This article was originally published on Metro.co.uk. You can read the original version in its entirety here.