Getting Tested

If you are travelling with a commercial airline or ferry operator, you will be provided with a form to complete before you land. In that form, you will be asked to list the countries and regions you have visited in the 7 days before you travelled to Guernsey.

When you arrive, you will need to present this form along with your ID to a Guernsey Border Agency representative.

In most cases the Guernsey Border Agency will be able to confirm if you are eligible for the option of testing on day 7 of their self-isolation, or if you must self-isolate for a full 14 days.

If your travel history is unclear or further information is required, you will be informed that you need to self-isolate for 14 days. After reviewing your information further, the Guernsey Border Agency (GBA) will contact you directly if they believe you are eligible for the test on Day 7 option.

Please note that these measures are in place to protect the health and wellbeing of the Bailiwick of Guernsey's community, however they may mean it takes more time to make your way through arrivals. We would like to thank visitors in advance for their patience.

After providing the relevant information to the authorities, you can then leave the airport or harbour to travel directly to the location where you will be self-isolating. Please ensure you have your onward travel to where you will be self-isolating, arranged or booked.

It is recommended that you use your own vehicle. Where this is not possible, a friend of family member may collect you provided you sit in the rear of the vehicle, the windows are kept open and the vehicle is cleaned after use. If there is no alternative, a taxi can be used. Only one passenger is permitted per journey, unless you are a couple/family and will be self-isolating together. 

Passengers are recommended to continue wearing face masks issued prior to boarding the aircraft until such time as they reach their final destination. 

If you choose to, or need to, self-isolate with other members of your household who have not travelled with you, you will need to inform the booking team of this when they call you to arrange your test as they will also need to be tested.

Those arriving into the Bailiwick of Guernsey on a private aircraft or vessel, will also be required to fill out a form and provide the same information on arrival to a Guernsey Border Agency representative.

In general, travellers are expected to arrange their own travel for their test, either using their own private transport or a taxi. More information on using taxis to travel to the testing drive-through, please go to https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/travel/general.

If you are travelling onward to Alderney, you will need to complete the form listing all the countries and regions you have visited in the seven days before travel to the Bailiwick. This will then need to be presented to a Guernsey Border Agency representative. After this, you will be able to commence your onward travel directly to the location where you will be self-isolating in Alderney.

On arrival in Alderney, you are required to travel directly from the airport or harbour to your designated self-isolating address. If you have arrived from a Group B country or region, you will be eligible for a test on Day 7, which if negative will release you into a further seven-day period of passive follow up. The restrictions on travel and the rules regarding self-isolation and during the period of passive follow up will be the same as in Guernsey. More information can be found at https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/travel/phase5b.

The COVID-19 tests will be conducted by Health & Social Care (HSC) staff who will contact you directly to arrange the test.

If you have no transport of your own and cannot access a lift to the testing centre at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital from a member of your household and have no symptoms of COVID-19 (a new continuous cough, a sore throat, muscle aches, headache/sinus pain, a fever, a high temperature, shortness of breath) you can use a taxi. 

When booking, you must inform the taxi company that you are booking to go for a COVID-19 test at the hospital drive-through. You must also: 

• Wear a face mask throughout the journey
• Sanitise your hands before entering the taxi
• Keep the car windows down throughout the journey
• Follow other instructions given by the taxi driver
• Sit in the back seat behind the driver

On arrival at the PEH the taxi driver should drive into car park C where they will be greeted by a porter and directed into the drive through testing centre. Both passenger and driver should remain in the vehicle until directed otherwise.

When the taxi is in the testing facility the person requiring a test will be asked to step out of the taxi and informed where to stand/sit for the test to take place. The individual being tested must keep their mask in place until instructed to remove it by a member of the testing team.

Once the swab has been taken the individual must replace their mask and sanitise their hands. They should then get back into the taxi and continue to follow the above guidance until they are back at their place of residence.

The States of Guernsey do not endorse any particular company.  The companies below are listed in alphabetical order and all have agreed to offer this service at the time of publication. This information is provided to assist those who may not be familiar with the taxi companies available in Guernsey. 

• A&S Taxis - 07781 125544
• Andy Walford (AJ Taxis) -  07781 415100
• Barry Harris (Bazzas Taxis) -  07781 169700
• Colin Bush (Busheys Taxis) -  07781 159799
• Glen Pontin (Guernsey Taxis) -  07781 154254
• Henry Hulme -  07781 143433
• Ian Vaudin (Donkey Taxis) -  07839 747667
• Island Taxis -  01481 700500
• John Bishop (Johns Taxis) -  07781 112048
• Kevin Le Tissier -  07781 103135
• Peter Blondel (ABCAB) -  07781 134555
• Prestige Taxi Services -  07781 115522
• Richard Guerin (A2B Taxis) -  07781 104939
• Sarah Flouquet (SJ Taxis) -  07781 130000
• Steve Bichard -  07781 133828

Passive follow up means a person:

• must at all times be vigilant for symptoms, however mild, of COVID-19; must report any such symptoms immediately to Public Health; and must comply with any instructions given by Public Health thereafter (which may, for the avoidance of doubt, include an immediate resumption of self-isolation);
• must not enter a nursing, care or residential home without the prior agreement of the manager of the home, received after having informed the manager of the home of his or her status as being subject to these restrictions and should not return to work there unless they have an agreed method statement with Public Health; 
• must not, other than in an emergency, enter the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, and in an emergency must give prior notification of his or her status as being subject to these restrictions before entering the Princess Elizabeth Hospital if reasonably practicable in all the circumstances and should not return to work there unless they have an agreed method statement with Public Health; 
• must inform any other healthcare provider (for example, a doctor or dentist) of his or her status as being subject to these restrictions when making any appointment for care;
• must, so far as reasonably practicable, keep a record of people met and places visited (to assist with contact tracing if necessary); and
• must comply with any additional conditions and restrictions imposed from time to time by the Medical Officer of Health.

A person may enter the Princess Elizabeth Hospital to visit a patient who is seriously ill if the management of the hospital agrees and if a method statement has been agreed with Public Health.

In terms of school attendance, any student who has received a negative COVID-19 test result from their day 7 test and moved into the seven-day passive surveillance phase is able to attend school. 

Please note that Alderney joined Phase 5b on Friday 4th September 2020 and therefore, people can now travel to Alderney on receipt of a negative result. 

If you do not comply with the above, you will be required to self-isolate until Day 14. In addition, you may be prosecuted and, if convicted, sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding £10,000.

A clinician will use a swab to take a sample from both your nostrils and from the back of your throat. This test is highly accurate and will indicate if the virus that causes COVID-19 is present at the time of testing.

If you have opted to take part in the test on Day 7 option, you will receive a phone call from the COVID-19 test booking team. This is likely to be on Day 6.

Tests will be carried out in a drive-through area on the Princess Elizabeth Hospital site, during which you must remain in your vehicle. Clear instructions will be provided when you receive a phone call to book your appointment.

Please ensure that no other passengers are in the vehicle during your test, unless you have been self-isolating together (e.g. as a family). If you do not have access to a vehicle or you cannot drive, you should book a taxi to travel for the purpose of your test. More information can be found at https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/travel/phase5b.

Under no circumstances will requests for early testing be accepted.

Additional information on getting tested can be found online at https://covid19.gov.gg/support/getting-tested.

You are likely to receive your results between 24 and 48 hours after the swab has been taken.

In the form you fill out with your personal details, you will be asked to tick a box if you consent to contact by text message where your result is negative.

If you do NOT consent to receive a text message, or if your result is positive, you will receive a phone call.

Please note that multiple results cannot be sent through to a single number e.g. families or travelling groups. Each individual will instead receive a phone call. Children’s results will not be sent in text message format and a parent or other person with parental responsibility will be phoned.

If you get a positive result, the Public Health Team will inform you of your result and will provide you with all the guidance required. You will be required to remain in self-isolation and will receive a further test at a later stage (usually 14 days after the initial test, providing you have no symptoms) to confirm your status. The contact tracing team will also be in touch to gather further information about your journey, activities and people you have spent time with.