Compulsory lateral flow test packs are a Covid travel tax

Any UK pharmacy will give you these for free – in fact an NHS-branded seven-pack at the prescription counter. They ask a couple of quick, non-invasive questions such as, ‘is there a particular reason you want them?’ I went into two Boots stores in the UK last week. In the first I said I was a tourist – no issue there and was given a pack. Second one was in Boots – South Terminal, Gatwick (but note Aurigny are now in the North Terminal, upstairs, zone A or B – to the far left) and was given another pack.

But from next week, even though I have these, if I come into Guernsey, I will be charged £25 for a pack. If I say no thanks and produce my NHS ones, I am told they are ‘inconsistent’ and I will still be charged, even if I do not take them. [Editor’s note: Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink had said the reason why people could not use their own lateral flow tests was to give a ‘consistent border policy’.]

Sorry, but calling NHS lateral flow tests ‘inconsistent’ and therefore unacceptable compared with the £25 Guernsey five-pack is insulting our intelligence. Who thought that one up anyway? If I am not refunded the £25 then this is not a purchase, this is a Covid travel tax. Pure and simple.

And Deputy Ferbrache tells us that they cost £17 each and are being sold for £25 due to ‘administrative charges’. Sorry – what are these brand-new costs incurred in order to provide them that require a 50% mark-up? Or is that pure profit?

I rather think the latter – in other words, a nice little SoG money-spinner.

Deputy Ferbrache tells us it is only £25. Well, it may be only £25 to him but tell that to a low-income family who are having to buy two or more packs when they’ve got multiple seven-pack NHS ones in their luggage. And as the media questions kept highlighting, this is a huge extra cost for weekend or day trips. So, a real negative for tourism and makes Guernsey less attractive.

The message is, ‘we do not want you to travel here and we will tax you on entry to deter you’.

After all we have been through, and with UK Covid rates finally falling – hopefully this will continue; with the island of Guernsey having 36 active cases, only four of which are community based (and that was days ago, so presumably hopefully little or no spread); and 82% of the adult population double-jabbed (and rising fast), this, then, is a kick in the teeth to Guernsey Together. It is a Covid travel tax that will affect travelling low-income families the hardest. And we are told the tax is here for the foreseeable future.

So I ask the States – please think this through a bit more and agree that if someone can produce a seven-pack NHS or equivalent LFT kit, then refund the £25. Or better still, you could easily add that as a question on the travel tracker. ‘Do you have your own LFT kit (five or more tests)? You may be required to show these on entry’. Then there would be no need to charge the £25… please?

ANDY GILL

andygill@suremail.gg