Travelling Smart with a Fit-to-Fly Certificate

16 March, 2021  |  Brave Agency - Marketing

COVID’s Influence on Travelling

Travelling is one of the most remarkable and exciting activities worldwide. Whether it’s travelling for leisure, work, or legal reasons, airlines never run out of business. At the end of 2019 and in early 2020, COVID-19 took the world by surprise. The government cancelled schools, shut down businesses, banned travel and confined people to their homes.

Many notable celebrities such as Tom Hanks, Idris Elba and Prince William also came down with the coronavirus, increasing public awareness of the disease.

Many people were unable to meet their families living abroad. It was unlike anything this generation had seen before. University and foreign exchange students living away from home could not return to their families and were therefore forced to live in isolation at their university accommodation. New students have had no choice but to start their further education online.

Need for a Fit for Travel Certificate

Ever since then, many countries have been entering in and out of lockdowns and constantly changing international travel policies. It was necessary to introduce a system to help reduce the fear among the population and the chances of contracting the virus during travelling. Travel is a crucial part of our everyday life, not only for recreational purposes but for work, mental and physical health, and self-development. This gave birth to the need for having a fit for travel certificate, which will not only allow people to travel internationally or nationally but also help curb the spread of the virus. It promotes people to follow COVID-19 SOPS.  A fit-to-fly certificate is a necessity in this day and age. To get this fit for travel certificate, the RT-PCR Test was globally introduced.

iQ Doctor UK, an online pharmacy, offers an RT-PCR Test with two various certifications. People can easily use this kit at home. 

Travelling outside the UK during COVID-19 — iQ Doctor is here to help

Currently, in the UK, travelling is not permitted under COVID-19 restrictions. It is discouraged to travel abroad for holidays and leisure purposes unless one has to travel for work or repatriation..  Presently, the UK has an alarming  COVID-19 transmission rate. Many countries like the UK require a Fit-to-Fly Certificate for people travelling abroad and foreign travellers coming into the country. However, you cannot use an Antibody test for travelling. 

You may want to check all the airline requirements and the country you’re travelling to beforehand to avoid any issues. 

What is a Fit-to-Fly Certificate? 

You can order a Fit-to-Fly Certificate with an RT-PCR Test. A Fit-to-Fly Certificate is a document presented by an accredited lab that states that the traveller has recently tested negative for COVID-19. A Fit-to-Fly Certificate has the travellers passport number, name, address, etc., and it is certified by the lab.

Airlines usually have a testing time frame from 48 to 120 hours, depending on your destination country’s authorities. Both the test and the certificate remain valid for that time. If you report COVID negative during the time of testing, it is highly unlikely you’ll be carrying COVID-19 pathogens for a duration of 48 or 72 hours after the test. Therefore, the Fit-to-Fly Certificate ensures some reassurance of safety. 

The conditions and processes for acquiring a Fit-to-Fly Certificate may vary from country to country. However, in the UK, it is a must-have for travelling abroad. People who don’t have a valid Fit-to-Fly Certificate cannot travel. It does not only waste their time but also makes travelling hectic in already stressful times.

Importance of the Fit-to-Fly Certificate 

Fit-to-Fly Certificates are proving to be beneficial whether you’re travelling for leisure or business. A Fit-to-Fly Certificate serves as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of COVID-19; it ensures people travelling together are free from the COVID-19 viral infection, and by association, aren’t a risk for the people of the destination country. 

The Process of Getting a Fit-to-Fly Certificate

You can get a Fit-to-Fly Certificate by ordering yourself a home sample collection PCR Kit. These kits give you the ability to efficiently test yourself within the security of your homes and minimise your risk of exposure to COVID-19. 

You can order a RT-PCR testing kit from iQ Doctor based in Birmingham, UK. It comes with multiple components. Firstly, a swab is used to collect samples from your throat and nose, secondly, a transport medium in which you put the swab after sample collection, thirdly, a foam cradle for absorbing any leakage, and lastly, a sealable biohazard bag and a rigid outer container for transport

Step 1: We advise you to wash your hands before starting.

Step 2: Firstly, take the swab and wipe the swab head at the back of your throat. Avoid swabbing your tongue and teeth for better results. Rub the swab behind the arch of your throat. Doing this might make you gag, but it shouldn’t be painful.

Step 3: Using the same swab, place the soft tip at the entrance of one of your nostrils and gently swipe around the inside of your nose. Repeat this same step for the other nostril using the same swab. 

Step 4: Open the transport medium carefully, ensuring that you don’t spill any of the preservative liquid inside. Insert the swab’s cotton end into the container and break off the plastic end. The breaking point is indicated on the swab near the soft tip end. 

Step 5: Replace the lid on the tube and close it tightly. It would help if you always kept in mind not to touch the soft tip end of the swab before or after swabbing to avoid contamination. 

Step 6: Package the test sample according to the given instructions and seal it inside the test kit box.

Step 7: Next, you should insert the test kit in the packaging box in the biohazard bag and seal it again in the packaging to send it to the delivery services. 

We at iQ Doctor UK provide the option to use DX or Treadstone Collection Service as delivery services. 

Provided that you have already ordered the kit and have it, the whole process of taking the test and sending it back to the lab and receiving the results is concluded within 72 hours. The samples are sent to an ISO, and UKAS accredited laboratory, and the lab does the testing and processes the results.

PCR Test from home 

iQ Doctor UK provides you with an RT-PCR test kit with a Fit-to-Fly Certificate, enabling you to travel abroad. Our team at IiQDoctor UK ensures 100%  discretion and confidentiality. iQ Doctor UK has developed this RT-PCR kit, enabling customers to test for the novel coronavirus from within the comfort of their own home. 

After taking the test, you need to register yourself on iQ Doctor’s online portal requiring you to add your 10-digit reference number and a few other details like name, address, passport number, etc. Keep in mind that registration is a mandatory step, and should not be missed at any cost

If the COVID test result is negative, a Fit-to-Fly Certificate is generated automatically. The fit for travel Certificate has your details, including your passport number.

The arrival of the results is informed via the email address you’ve used at the registration time. You can download the Fit-to-Fly Certificate in PDF format from iQ Doctor’s online portal. This document will be presentable to your airline. A Fit-to-Fly Certificate’s validity depends on how soon before your flight you need to be tested, and the date and time you took the test. 

In conclusion, getting a Fit-to-Fly Certificate has become compulsory for travel, and the process is not as difficult as it sounds. With iQ Doctor the process is fast and straightforward. The iQ Doctor team understands the time-sensitive aspect of this process and is working tirelessly to ensure the results are processed as quickly as possible.