# Quarantine requirement if positive case on plane?



## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

I'd like to return to Spain, where I used to live, to see friends, but am absolutely baffled by the extremely poor information available regarding quarantine requirements. If I am contacted because a passenger on the plane over there tested positive, will I have to be tested or quarantine, or will the fact I'm vaccinated override any such requirement? I'm triple vaccinated (two AstraZeneca and a Pfizer booster a week ago).

I'm not prepared to take the risk of quarantine so if this is the case, I'll cancel my trip, but I can't for the life of me find the information! I'd really appreciate any advice.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

stefig said:


> I'd like to return to Spain, where I used to live, to see friends, but am absolutely baffled by the extremely poor information available regarding quarantine requirements. If I am contacted because a passenger on the plane over there tested positive, will I have to be tested or quarantine, or will the fact I'm vaccinated override any such requirement? I'm triple vaccinated (two AstraZeneca and a Pfizer booster a week ago).
> 
> I'm not prepared to take the risk of quarantine so if this is the case, I'll cancel my trip, but I can't for the life of me find the information! I'd really appreciate any advice.




Obviously unless you are contacted you will never know if you have been exposed or not.
And as there is no requirement for tests to be carried out at either end, most people may choose not to inform or even to take a test (oh its only a cold I wont bother) My pint is getting warm etc.... 

And why should anyone be exempt from testing just because they have had he jab, its still catchable and easy to spread. 
Which if we are being picky this is the one reason I think that cases are still around and it hasn't bottomed out yet.

My son has had covid twice and each time has not shown ANY symptoms, they have regular tests at work and both times he tested positive he isolated. One of these times was from before he was jabbed.

This from the local, which may or not answer your question.

On June 23rd, Spain’s Health Ministry revised its Covid-19 prevention strategy to allow those who have been fully vaccinated to not have to quarantine for ten days if they come into contact with a positive case. 
“People who are fully vaccinated and considered a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case will generally speaking be exempt from quarantine,” Spain’s Health Ministry and the country’s Public Health Commission said at the time. 
A “close contact” refers to a person who has been fewer than two metres from someone who tested positive for Covid-19, for longer than 15 minutes in a day.
Even though they will not have to quarantine for ten days as was the case previously, they will have to take two Covid tests (PCR or antigen), the first as soon as they’ve found out about the positive case and another seven days after the exposure.
And if it comes back positive, they will have to self-isolate.
Spain has recently allowed self-test kits to be sold at pharmacies without prescriptions, so this can reduce costs even though they’re considered less effective in asymptomatic people.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Thanks for the info! I understand testing as a precaution if you've been exposed or have symptoms, I'm just afraid of having an automatic quarantine because of a positive case on the plane, even though chances of catching it there (especially when vaccinated and wearing an FFP2 mask) are absolutely tiny. The UK is making people who were vaccinated outside the UK do a ten-day quarantine if there's a positive case on the plane and apparently it's pretty common for people to be notified about this and to have to do the quarantine, which is where this fear is coming from. The thought of being stuck in a hotel room for ten days because someone else tested positive is horrendous. 

If the only thing that can happen is that I need to do a lateral flow test, I'm happy with that. There's no requirement for it to be supervised, right, or to use a certain brand, or report it via an app or something? I could bring some with me in my hand luggage.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

You might wear your FFP2 mask on the plane from take-off to landing, but remember the mask doesn't give you as the wearer much protection. For your own protection you are counting on those around you to wear theirs all the time, which they won't. 

I'm not sure how much the pharmacy tests are in the UK, but over here thery are 6.50€ so hardly prohibitive cost-wise so I'm not sure if it would be worth bringing some with you.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> Thanks for the info! I understand testing as a precaution if you've been exposed or have symptoms, I'm just afraid of having an automatic quarantine because of a positive case on the plane, even though chances of catching it there (especially when vaccinated and wearing an FFP2 mask) are absolutely tiny. The UK is making people who were vaccinated outside the UK do a ten-day quarantine if there's a positive case on the plane and apparently it's pretty common for people to be notified about this and to have to do the quarantine, which is where this fear is coming from. The thought of being stuck in a hotel room for ten days because someone else tested positive is horrendous.
> 
> If the only thing that can happen is that I need to do a lateral flow test, I'm happy with that. There's no requirement for it to be supervised, right, or to use a certain brand, or report it via an app or something? I could bring some with me in my hand luggage.


If you had a positive test you would be expected to report it, & you would be told to quarantine - you could do so wherever you were staying, as long as you stayed away from the rest of the household.

You wouldn't have to go to a hotel.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Overandout said:


> You might wear your FFP2 mask on the plane from take-off to landing, but remember the mask doesn't give you as the wearer much protection. For your own protection you are counting on those around you to wear theirs all the time, which they won't.
> 
> I'm not sure how much the pharmacy tests are in the UK, but over here thery are 6.50€ so hardly prohibitive cost-wise so I'm not sure if it would be worth bringing some with you.


I thought they did, and that was the point? Doctor friends of mine have told me the FFP2s provide a very high level of protection for the wearer. Obviously not perfect, but much better than the flimsy surgical masks or the homemade fabric ones. 

Lateral flow tests are free in the UK, so I think it is probably worth bringing a couple. I usually would anyway to be honest. I just wasn't sure if the requirement to test was under supervision or if you could just do any old test and only report the result if positive.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> If you had a positive test you would be expected to report it, & you would be told to quarantine - you could do so wherever you were staying, as long as you stayed away from the rest of the household.
> 
> You wouldn't have to go to a hotel.


I'm staying in a hotel anyway, as friends can't really host me. Fine for a few days while sightseeing and going out and about but the thought of ten days in one isn't great!


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

Stay home. That's what we do.


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## timwip (Feb 27, 2017)

Covid is here for the foreseeable future, as a result, restrictions are likely to remain for the foreseeable (perhaps next two years, perhaps they will never go away!). Each person needs to evaluate the risk one is willing to take for getting life back to normal. My wife and I faced this decision last December (before vaccinations) whether we were going to travel to the United States for our younger son´s wedding. We decided that we were going to get our lives back to normal and minimize risks. My wife, a former nurse, developed the procedures we were going to use:

FFP2 mask,
Plastic face shield
Disinfectant wipes for seat belts, trays, etc.
Plenty of hand gel
Surgical gloves when entering a public bathroom.
Over the last year, I have made 10 trans-Atlantic flights using these procedures. I have never had any problems. Each person needs to make their own decision; however, we have decided we are going to accept Covid as an on-going problem but get on with life.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Italia-Mx said:


> Stay home. That's what we do.


What is that supposed to mean? Don't travel to Spain? We're two years into the pandemic and I'm triple vaccinated. I figured this is likely as good a time as any to visit loved ones but if I won't be welcome there, I'm happy to postpone.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

timwip said:


> Covid is here for the foreseeable future, as a result, restrictions are likely to remain for the foreseeable (perhaps next two years, perhaps they will never go away!). Each person needs to evaluate the risk one is willing to take for getting life back to normal. My wife and I faced this decision last December (before vaccinations) whether we were going to travel to the United States for our younger son´s wedding. We decided that we were going to get our lives back to normal and minimize risks. My wife, a former nurse, developed the procedures we were going to use:
> 
> FFP2 mask,
> Plastic face shield
> ...


I've been to several weddings in the last couple of months, two of them requiring plane travel, because my family is split up in different countries. I have been extremely cautious throughout the pandemic and barely left my house for the first 18 months of it, but I think we're definitely at the point now where it has to be a case of getting on with things (while being as cautious as possible). 

I think it's sensible to continue with restrictions, but in some cases they're simply not logical. For example, a Spanish person who was vaccinated in Spain and travels to the UK will have to quarantine for ten days if there was a positive case on the plane, but a British-vaccinated person won't. Being wary of planes made sense way back at the beginning of the pandemic, but I don't think it does now. Masks aren't even mandatory in the UK, so there's a far higher chance of someone getting infected in a restaurant, on a train or in a shop than in a plane with recycled air and most of the passengers in masks. An automatic quarantine based on exposure feels like something that made sense at the beginning of the pandemic but doesn't make sense at this point for people who are fully vaccinated and with the virus practically endemic all over Europe now.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> I've been to several weddings in the last couple of months, two of them requiring plane travel, because my family is split up in different countries. I have been extremely cautious throughout the pandemic and barely left my house for the first 18 months of it, but I think we're definitely at the point now where it has to be a case of getting on with things (while being as cautious as possible).
> 
> I think it's sensible to continue with restrictions, but in some cases they're simply not logical. For example, a Spanish person who was vaccinated in Spain and travels to the UK will have to quarantine for ten days if there was a positive case on the plane, but a British-vaccinated person won't. Being wary of planes made sense way back at the beginning of the pandemic, but I don't think it does now. Masks aren't even mandatory in the UK, so there's a far higher chance of someone getting infected in a restaurant, on a train or in a shop than in a plane with recycled air and most of the passengers in masks. An automatic quarantine based on exposure feels like something that made sense at the beginning of the pandemic but doesn't make sense at this point for people who are fully vaccinated and with the virus practically endemic all over Europe now.


But that's the UK. And I agree that it's a crazy state of affairs. 

We don't have automatic quarantine due to exposure here on Spain - only if you test positive. 

If you are traced as having been exposed, you are tested & only if your test is positive do you have to quarantine.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> But that's the UK. And I agree that it's a crazy state of affairs.
> 
> We don't have automatic quarantine due to exposure here on Spain - only if you test positive.
> 
> If you are traced as having been exposed, you are tested & only if your test is positive do you have to quarantine.


Ah yes, I know - I was just checking to make absolute sure it isn't the case, as I couldn't find any solid information confirming it. When you say 'you are tested' if you're traced as being exposed, do you mean I would need to go to a place to be tested with someone performing the swab test, or could I just do my own lateral flow and let them know if it's positive, as other posters have said?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> Ah yes, I know - I was just checking to make absolute sure it isn't the case, as I couldn't find any solid information confirming it. When you say 'you are tested' if you're traced as being exposed, do you mean I would need to go to a place to be tested with someone performing the swab test, or could I just do my own lateral flow and let them know if it's positive, as other posters have said?


You would be given an appointment at the nearest testing centre & tested there.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> You would be given an appointment at the nearest testing centre & tested there.


Is this documented anywhere? This is quite a step up from 'just do a lateral flow test at home' and would heavily impact the plans I've made with my friends and possibly mean I'd have to change my flight while waiting for results (if it's a PCR and not a lateral flow) because I'm there for such a short time. Someone else referenced needing to do another test x days later - does that mean this would also need to be done in Spain at a clinic? If so, that's not a whole lot better than quarantining, and I'd rather just not go. 

I'm pretty shocked this information isn't readily available, to be honest.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> Is this documented anywhere? This is quite a step up from 'just do a lateral flow test at home' and would heavily impact the plans I've made with my friends and possibly mean I'd have to change my flight while waiting for results (if it's a PCR and not a lateral flow) because I'm there for such a short time. Someone else referenced needing to do another test x days later - does that mean this would also need to be done in Spain at a clinic? If so, that's not a whole lot better than quarantining, and I'd rather just not go.
> 
> I'm pretty shocked this information isn't readily available, to be honest.


I don't know if it's documented anywhere. 

It's simply what happens. 

If you are contacted by the Spanish tracing system, you are given an appointment for a test. 

It happened to a family member of mine & I know others who it has happened to.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> I don't know if it's documented anywhere.
> 
> It's simply what happens.
> 
> ...


I would expect this to be documented so anyone heading to Spain knows what they might expect. The process for what to do if you're contacted about a positive case exposure is clearly documented for all the other countries I've been to this year, and not one of them required a test at a testing centre. What happens if the appointment date if after your flight? Or are they usually immediate? Is it a PCR test? Does this mean needing to stay in the country until you get the result back?


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

I just think people need to understand what they're signing up for so they can make an informed decision on whether to go to Spain or not. I of course have no problem isolating in Spain if I actually _get_ covid, but I'm not prepared to end up scrambling to book extra nights and change my flights because of the tiniest chance I _might_. As silly as the UK rules are, at least they're clear and readily available! Not having the information I need to make the decision doesn't sit well with me.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> I just think people need to understand what they're signing up for so they can make an informed decision on whether to go to Spain or not. I of course have no problem isolating in Spain if I actually _get_ covid, but I'm not prepared to end up scrambling to book extra nights and change my flights because of the tiniest chance I _might_. As silly as the UK rules are, at least they're clear and readily available! Not having the information I need to make the decision doesn't sit well with me.


Again - you would only have to quarantine if you had a positive test. In other words if you had covid - just like anywhere in the world!

In Spain there's no quarantine if you _might_ have it._ Only if you do!_

VERY different to the UK where anyone not vaccinated in the UK but fully vaccinated elsewhere - with exactly the same vaccine - , does have to quarantine only if they might have it, & even if they have had negative tests, just because someone on the plane had a positive test!


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> Again - you would only have to quarantine if you had a positive test. In other words if you had covid - just like anywhere in the world!
> 
> In Spain there's no quarantine if you _might_ have it._ Only if you do!_
> 
> VERY different to the UK where anyone not vaccinated in the UK but fully vaccinated elsewhere - with exactly the same vaccine - , does have to quarantine only if they might have it, & even if they have had negative tests, just because someone on the plane had a positive test!


You're not getting what I'm asking.

I'm not talking about quarantine, I'm asking whether contact with a positive case would mean being forced to stay in Spain for an extra ten days to undergo required testing. I'm assuming I can't take a PCR test and then get on a flight home while waiting for the results, right? And if that first PCR is negative, do I still need to stay in Spain to take another one a week later, or am I fine to fly home and do it in the UK? Obviously having to be quarantined in Spain is different to being free to go out and about, but I don't want to spend an extra 10+ days in Spain, with all the extra costs that entails, based on a tiny chance of transmission. Maybe I'm overthinking and they'd let me just fly home, but why on earth isn't it documented clearly? How can people make informed decisions without pertinent information? 

I'm just baffled by the fact there's no information about this PCR test requirement and any possible requirement to stay much longer than planned in Spain while undergoing further tests. I'm looking into it because I'm conscientious but I know loads of people who have just been for a few days away and had absolutely no idea that this could have been required. Surely the onus is on Spain to make it crystal clear to people what the process for exposure is? I agree the UK process is silly, but at least people know exactly what they're signing up for! I don't!


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## timwip (Feb 27, 2017)

stefig said:


> You're not getting what I'm asking.
> 
> I'm not talking about quarantine, I'm asking whether contact with a positive case would mean being forced to stay in Spain for an extra ten days to undergo required testing. I'm assuming I can't take a PCR test and then get on a flight home while waiting for the results, right? And if that first PCR is negative, do I still need to stay in Spain to take another one a week later, or am I fine to fly home and do it in the UK? Obviously having to be quarantined in Spain is different to being free to go out and about, but I don't want to spend an extra 10+ days in Spain, with all the extra costs that entails, based on a tiny chance of transmission. Maybe I'm overthinking and they'd let me just fly home, but why on earth isn't it documented clearly? How can people make informed decisions without pertinent information?
> 
> I'm just baffled by the fact there's no information about this PCR test requirement and any possible requirement to stay much longer than planned in Spain while undergoing further tests. I'm looking into it because I'm conscientious but I know loads of people who have just been for a few days away and had absolutely no idea that this could have been required. Surely the onus is on Spain to make it crystal clear to people what the process for exposure is? I agree the UK process is silly, but at least people know exactly what they're signing up for! I don't!


I think you should lodge a complaint with

Carolina Darias
Ministra de Sanidad
Calle Sinesio Delgado 8
Madrid, Spain

Please make sure that you tell her how much superior the UK system is inspite of 364.6 cases per 100,000 in the UK compared to 52 cases per 100,000 in Spain.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Whether you see this as a good or a bad thing is irrelevant but whichever way you look at it, Spain is not the place to come to if you want everything to be documented and predictably in line with procedure.

If the uncertaintly of the outcome is a cause for concern then that might be the deciding factor of whethewr to travel or not.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Basically, the info given in the first comment, that


timwip said:


> I think you should lodge a complaint with
> 
> Carolina Darias
> Ministra de Sanidad
> ...


Where am I saying the UK system is better? I'm saying it's completely unreasonable for a country not to publish crystal clear guidance on covid procedures so people can make informed decisions. Funny how every other country seems to manage it just fine. I'd be perfectly fine with Spain mandating quarantine or shutting the borders if they wanted to - what I have an issue with is the utter lack of clarity and information. I know people who have recently been on holiday in Spain and had absolutely no idea they'd need to do a PCR test and (possibly?) stay an extra week to do another test if exposed on the plane, because it doesn't state that anywhere. Is that not just downright deceitful? 

I love that I'm undoubtedly one of the tiny percentage of Brits who would even bother combing the Spanish government websites to try to find this info rather than blindly going on a nice jolly and hoping for the best and I'm getting attacked, but hey. The price for being diligent and conscientious.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Overandout said:


> Whether you see this as a good or a bad thing is irrelevant but whichever way you look at it, Spain is not the place to come to if you want everything to be documented and predictably in line with procedure.
> 
> If the uncertaintly of the outcome is a cause for concern then that might be the deciding factor of whethewr to travel or not.


Well yes, that is true. I've been away too long, I guess, and I find it pretty shocking. I'm imagining that in reality, if I were contacted and I told them my flight home was the next morning, they'd likely tell me to just get on it, but the not knowing is incredibly stressful.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> You're not getting what I'm asking.
> 
> I'm not talking about quarantine, I'm asking whether contact with a positive case would mean being forced to stay in Spain for an extra ten days to undergo required testing. I'm assuming I can't take a PCR test and then get on a flight home while waiting for the results, right? And if that first PCR is negative, do I still need to stay in Spain to take another one a week later, or am I fine to fly home and do it in the UK? Obviously having to be quarantined in Spain is different to being free to go out and about, but I don't want to spend an extra 10+ days in Spain, with all the extra costs that entails, based on a tiny chance of transmission. Maybe I'm overthinking and they'd let me just fly home, but why on earth isn't it documented clearly? How can people make informed decisions without pertinent information?
> 
> I'm just baffled by the fact there's no information about this PCR test requirement and any possible requirement to stay much longer than planned in Spain while undergoing further tests. I'm looking into it because I'm conscientious but I know loads of people who have just been for a few days away and had absolutely no idea that this could have been required. Surely the onus is on Spain to make it crystal clear to people what the process for exposure is? I agree the UK process is silly, but at least people know exactly what they're signing up for! I don't!


No. You wouldn't be forced to stay in Spain unless YOU had a positive test. Then of course you would have to, because you would be in quarantine.
You obviously can't travel if you're in quarantine.

That's the case everywhere in the world, I believe.

If YOU don't have covid, you carry on as normal

I can't see how I can say it any more clearly than that.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> No. You wouldn't be forced to stay in Spain unless YOU had a positive test. Then of course you would have to, because you would be in quarantine.
> You obviously can't travel if you're in quarantine.
> 
> That's the case everywhere in the world, I believe.
> ...


Perhaps I'm overthinking.

From what I understand, the procedure in Spain for close contacts is a PCR test followed by another PCR test a week later, yes?

So what happens if I, a tourist, get a notification on Thursday night and my flight is on Friday morning? Do I need to stay in Spain to do this test, or do I tell them I'm leaving the next day? What happens if I do a test but haven't got the results back before my flight home? Am I allowed to leave? What if I get a negative PCR result but my flight home is before the second test would be? Can I just go back to the UK? Or would I be expected to book another week in Spain and do the second test? 

This is what I'm asking... is there a possibility that having to follow the Spanish procedure would mean having to stick around in Spain, or does that only apply to residents? I'm not criticising the process - I'm saying it's much stricter than other countries and it's very unclear to what extent it's followed for people who are only planning to be in the country a few days.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> Perhaps I'm overthinking.
> 
> From what I understand, the procedure in Spain for close contacts is a PCR test followed by another PCR test a week later, yes?
> 
> ...


Where did you get the information that there's a PCR test & another a week later - with quarantine in the meantime?

Another member posted that for the vaccinated there is no quarantine in between the two tests - so if your first test were negative & you were leaving the country before that week were up, there's nothing to stop you.


A family member of mine has several times been 'traced' as a close contact & been tested negative. One time they were quarantined because they had similar symptoms to covid that turned out to be something else entirely.

A guest of a friend of mine here in Spain was just two weeks ago traced as being in contact with a positive case on the plane, went to the testing centre, had a negative test (results in about 24 hours) & returned to their home country three days later.

So yes, in your scenario you could leave the day after your first test, or the day after you were traced. If your flight were a day earlier you would already have left, wouldn't you?!


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> Where did you get the information that there's a PCR test & another a week later - with quarantine in the meantime?
> 
> Another member posted that for the vaccinated there is no quarantine in between the two tests - so if your first test were negative & you were leaving the country before that week were up, there's nothing to stop you.
> 
> ...


I didn't say anything about quarantine. I asked whether I could leave Spain after one negative result. You seem to think it's obvious that there's nothing to stop me leaving before the week is up, but why is it obvious? 

Do I need to stay in Spain while waiting for results of a PCR test, or can I leave? As I asked, if I'm contacted late on Thursday and the flight is on Friday, what do I do? If i'm tested on Thursday evening and the results aren't back by the time of my Friday morning flight, can I just go? If there's no time for a test on Thursday at all, can I just take my early flight on Friday, or would I be expected to postpone it to do a test? Presumably your friend's guest was able to take their planned flight, so the PCR test was just a tiny inconvenience, but what would they have done if their flight had been scheduled for the same evening as they were tested, or the next morning? Would they have been expected to change it to accommodate the test and results, or would "I'm actually leaving the country tonight" override any obligation to do the test or wait for the result?


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## Joey Testa (Jan 5, 2021)

Overandout said:


> Spain is not the place to come to if you want everything to be documented and predictably in line with procedure.


Amen to that


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## Do28 (Dec 21, 2010)

My wife and I commute back and forth the the U.K. monthly as well as I work across Europe and generally visit at least 3 different countries a month and trans Atlantic for sim checks. You make your assessment and get on with it. I have no issue with travelling. I am exempt from all the testing but my wife isn’t. Now things have eased in terms of testing for her travel has become simple again. We can’t keep our lives on hold for ever….


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