Covid-19 RT-PCR Swab Testing – fit to fly

The swab tests for the presence of Coronavirus itself and can detect infection even if there are no obvious symptoms (78% of cases of Covid-19 are asymptomatic) It is the most reliable indicator of current infection.

The scientific consensus is that the virus can stay in your nose and throat for 14 days but it can be shorter or longer in some people. Therefore, a negative result may also mean the virus was not in your nose and throat when the test was done, or the swab test was not correctly done.

If the nasopharyngeal swab is taken correctly you will get an accurate and reliable result. We have fully trained Health Care Practitioners to carry out tests at our clinic or your workplace under safe conditions to ensure the best sampling, resulting in more accurate tests. We have carried out over 10,000 Covid-19 PCR Swab Tests.

• Interpreting the result of a test for Covid-19 depends on two things: the accuracy of the test, and the pre-test probability or estimated risk of disease before testing. Our clinic always screens our clients for symptoms prior to any antigen test.
• A positive RT-PCR test for Covid-19 test has more weight than a negative test because of the test’s high specificity but moderate sensitivity
• A single negative Covid-19 test should not be used as a rule-out in patients with strongly suggestive symptoms
• At The Whitehall Clinic we always share information with patients about the accuracy of our Covid-19 tests
• No test gives a 100% accurate result

Specificity for detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Specificity is the proportion of patients without disease who have a negative test or true negative rate 100%.

Sensitivity for detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Sensitivity is the proportion of patients with disease who have a positive test or the true positive rate 98%.

The swab is soft-tipped and taken from the back of the nose. It is a routine test that is performed to diagnose other infections. This test is considered to be safe, regardless of your medical history. Click here for a video on how we obtain a nasopharyngeal swab specimen. You will spend less than 10 minutes in our clinic to have your test done.

We are currently not visiting patients in their homes for swab testing.

For our larger corporate clients we can arrange workplace testing for both the swab and blood tests, in accordance with the latest infection control and PPE guidance.

We will email your results and a detailed explanation the day after your appointment. Please check your junk/spam folders before contacting us regarding your results.

All positive swab results will also receive a phone call from a member of our medical team.

As Covid-19 infection is a notifiable illness, the lab will also inform Public Health England if the result of your Covid-19 RT-PCR Swab Test is positive.

Yes, all of our fit to travel documents have a QR Code on the certification which is valid for the day of the test. The QR code has been on our certificates from 05.03.2021.

Information for authorities / airlines
Following the recent worrying issue with fraudulent Covid-19 Travel Tests and to ensure the integrity of documents along with the urgent need to control the pandemic, our IT and governance team at The Whitehall Clinic working in partnership with our laboratories, have put the following checks in place. We hope this results in safe travelling for all concerned.

All our patients receive a password protected (their Date of Birth) certificate and lab results from appointments@whitehallclinic.com and a text from the following number +44033228798 informing them that their results have been emailed. Please check this as proof in the first instance. If you need further assurance please ring our 24 hour Certificate verification line on 0113 833 4900.

All our certificates will have a QR code that is valid for the day of the test.
We only do the RT-PCR swab test and use only accredited UKAS laboratories.
ID verification is done at the time of the swab test using a valid UK Driving Licence / Passport.
All of our swabs are administered by trained professionals, we do not do self swabs.
We do not offer a click and collect / postal swab service.

In the majority of cases you can self-manage your symptoms without complications, self-isolating at home and following the latest guidance. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/

As Covid-19 is a notifiable disease we are required by law to report all cases of Covid-19 to Public Health England

At The Whitehall Clinic we have a fair and transparent cancellation/refund policy. Appointments can be cancelled and refunded 24 hours prior to the appointment. Should you cancel within 24 hours of your appointment, then you will be entitled to a 50% refund. Please note that there is a £25 administrative fee for all cancellations.

Please note that we do not take cancellations over the phone, cancellations must be made in writing. Please email our cancellations team – hello@whitehallclinic.com stating your name, email address and appointment date and time

We can reschedule appointments only if there is capacity available in our booking system. Please email our bookings team – appointments@whitehallclinic.com stating your name, email address and appointment date and time.

There is a small chance your test could BE positive. With SARS-CoV-2 the infectious phase lasts up to 10 days, but as the inactivated viral RNA degrades slowly over time it may still be detected by (swab) testing many weeks after infectiousness has dissipated, as the RT-PCR test is detecting virus RNA not active infection. Please contact the team at the clinic and we will provide further guidance and advise if this is the case.