This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Data on Day 2 & Day 8 covid tests for inbound UK travel'.


 
 
Freedom of Information Team 
Department of Health and Social Care                 www.gov.uk/dhsc  
39 Victoria Street 
London SW1H 0EU 
 
Martijn van der Voort 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx  
 
07/09/2021 
 
 
Dear Mr van der Voort,  
 
Freedom of Information Request Reference FOI-1353476  
 
Thank you for your request dated 8 August, in which you asked the Department of Health and 
Social Care (DHSC):  
 
“Dear Department of Health and Social Care, 
 
Available answers do not cover my request. I hereby officially request under FOI act that you 
release to me the following: 
 
Parameters 
- Starting 01/01/2021 to 01/08/2021 
- Number of Day 2 & Day 8 PCR covid tests taken - to be distinguished in separate columns or 
graphs 
- Number of these that tested positive on Day 2 & Day 8 tests - to be distinguished in separate 
columns or graphs 
- Percentage of positives projected against total tests 
- Which variant they tested positive for - - to be distinguished in separate columns or graphs 
- England only 
- The reasoning for these tests to still be applied 
 
Yours faithfully, 
Martijn van der Voort”  
   
Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). 
 
DHSC holds some of the information relevant to your request. However, as the information held by 
the Department is in the public domain we will, under Section 21 of the FOIA (information accessible 
to the applicant by other means), refer you to the published source.   
 
The Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) publish data as part of the weekly test and trace statistics. The 
information is published every 3-weeks to align with international risk assessments. Following this 
link to Table 21 in the data tables, Weekly statistics for NHS Test and Trace (England): 19 August 
to 25 August 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), s
hows data taken from the latest weekly data table, by 
month in 2021, broken down by country, for the number of arrivals into England who have been 
tested for COVID-19, as well as those who have tested positive (along with traveller positivity). This 

publication considers overall traveller positivity and does not separate between day 2 and day 8 
tests. The data published here also includes sequencing data, but it is aggregated rather than split 
by variant. 
 
If you are not satisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to appeal by asking for 
an internal review. This should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter and sent to 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx, or to the address at the top of this letter. 
   
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication. 
 
If you are not content with the outcome of your internal review, you may complain directly to the 
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you 
have already appealed our original response and received our internal review decision. You should 
raise your concerns with the ICO within three months of your last meaningful contact with us. 
 
The ICO can be contacted at:  
   
The Information Commissioner's Office  
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane  
Wilmslow 
Cheshire  
SK9 5AF  
 
https://ico.org.uk/concerns/  
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Ruiz Alexander 
Freedom of Information Officer 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx