Take a test before you travel

It's still as important as ever to help reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 if you're travelling to and from Orkney.

Our community has worked hard since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 to keep levels of the virus here to a minimum, and we hope visitors to the islands will do the same.

As well as following the latest advice and guidance from the Scottish Government, we’re asking people to take rapid Lateral Flow tests before they travel to Orkney. Packs can be ordered or picked up for pharmacies in the UK for free and anyone planning to travel here is being advised to take two tests prior to arriving.

One test should be taken three days before departure, with another carried out on the day of departure. If you or anyone in your household tests positive, you should immediately book a more sensitive PCR test before deciding whether to cancel your visit.

There is no official requirement to take a test, and you won’t be asked to provide a negative test result whilst en-route to Orkney. However, we’d encourage you all to take advantage of the free kits before travelling to give our island communities confidence that you’re doing everything you can to help protect them.

Remember, a negative lateral flow test doesn’t provide a guarantee that you definitely don’t have COVID-19, so please ensure you continue to follow all health and safety guidance when you’re here.

Let’s work together to keep Orkney safe. We hope you enjoy your visit to the islands.


Keep up-to-date with the latest information on COVID-19 in Orkney with our dedicated section.

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