BinaxNow Covid-19 Ag test card review and info

[Honolulu Blue]

3 hours ago, johnasmith99 said:

Is it smart to order a 3 pack even though for just two people?  Is it possible one test kit could get messed up so having a spare may be advisable?  I'm always thinking of having backup plans.  

 

It's not a bad idea, IMHO.  I have heard of tests with bad equipment, faulty tests, and spoiled tests; a backup would guard against all these contingencies.  

[KruznKimmie]

19 hours ago, Nancycat said:

I am wondering, I am tested 2/week at work, I’m a nurse, would my work rest be sufficient? It is done by another nurse 

Should work if it meets the Celebrity guidelines.

[KruznKimmie]

14 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

I ordered our tests for our upcoming cruise, downloaded the NAVICA app on DH and my phones, and set up our separate accounts. Is there anything else I'll need to do prior to starting the tests (once I've received them obviously)?

Nothing else but wash your hands & have a driver’s license available before you start your test.

[debshomespun]

On 10/16/2021 at 7:39 AM, jhagen said:

Ordered the tests as could not find anything local for the Rapid Antigen test. Looked this morning and several local CVS Minute clinics now taking reservations up to 4 days out. Have till mid November for the cruise, so glad to have the tests in hand, but would prefer using local if possible.

I have scheduled the Rapid test (Antigen) at our local CVS (Cleveland, OH area) and was able to schedule 14 days out.  I am still concerned this type of test isn't accepted by Celebrity.  I was afraid the PCR test results would take more than the 2 days allowed by Celebrity.  Any thoughts?

Sailing on 11/1/21

[Ipeeinthepools]

22 minutes ago, debshomespun said:

I have scheduled the Rapid test (Antigen) at our local CVS (Cleveland, OH area) and was able to schedule 14 days out.  I am still concerned this type of test isn't accepted by Celebrity.  I was afraid the PCR test results would take more than the 2 days allowed by Celebrity.  Any thoughts?

Sailing on 11/1/21

 

I suspect Celebrity will accept any test conducted by CVS or any other medical facility.  The Antigen test is fine for meeting Celebrity's requirements.  As long as there is a documented test result with a date, you are good.  The Celebrity agents at check-in are not doing a detailed analysis of the test result that you provide.  From my experience in August, they look at the date and result and then scan it into the system.   I would be more concerned about CVS cancelling the test at the last minute due to supply or staff shortages.  I would definitely have a back-up plan for testing.

Edited October 24, 2021 by Ipeeinthepools

[wrk2cruise]

On 10/16/2021 at 7:39 AM, jhagen said:

CVS Minute clinics now taking reservations up to 4 days out

 

I believe by default they are now only showing 4 days out but there is a button to show more dates which should show 13 days out.

 

[3dogmom]

58 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

I believe by default they are now only showing 4 days out but there is a button to show more dates which should show 13 days out.

 

 

CVS displays 13 days out, however I can only book for today. Any day further out states "no times available".

[dazey]

My plan is to schedule a test on 11/18 with two CVS stores.  I have been checking and they are booking 14 days out.  There is also an urgent care that does the specified test without appointment but it costs $150 pp.  Three options cannot all fail, right??

 

Cannot wait to get on the ship.

[jhagen]

4 hours ago, debshomespun said:

I have scheduled the Rapid test (Antigen) at our local CVS (Cleveland, OH area) and was able to schedule 14 days out.  I am still concerned this type of test isn't accepted by Celebrity.  I was afraid the PCR test results would take more than the 2 days allowed by Celebrity.  Any thoughts?

Sailing on 11/1/21

CVS rapid Antigen test used for our August Edge Cruise. No problem.

Will use them again if available but have the backup of 3 Optum tests already received.

[silkismom]

No CVS that does tests w/in 100 miles of us, plan to use Walgreens ID NOW--it says its NAAT, assume that will work.

[wrk2cruise]

Yes Walgreens ID NOW is accepted by Celebrity.

[sn2792]

On 10/24/2021 at 8:30 AM, debshomespun said:

I have scheduled the Rapid test (Antigen) at our local CVS (Cleveland, OH area) and was able to schedule 14 days out.  I am still concerned this type of test isn't accepted by Celebrity.  I was afraid the PCR test results would take more than the 2 days allowed by Celebrity.  Any thoughts?

Sailing on 11/1/21

My daughter and son-in-law had the rapid test done at CVS in the Cleveland area and it was accepted on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It  will be accepted on Celebrity as well. We did the at home test through Emed and it was accepted on Royal and Celebrity.

[Luvcrusn]

We ordered 5 of the tests from the X link to Optum on 10/23. We received them as promised on 10/27. Every one of the test kits bears an expiration date of 9/21/21. While I realize that the CDC  has extended the shelf life 3 months, it's pretty lame that the tests are valid for less than two months after we received them. I did speak with both X and Optum and they won't do anything. We had hoped to use them for some upcoming events into early 2022, but these expire (even with the 3 month CDC extension before Christmas! That's really bad faith.

[rockysbebe]

I am also on the 11/28 cruise and thinking I will use this test. How does it work?  Do you use the Q-tip? Then what do you with it to get the results?

[Luvcrusn]

2 hours ago, rockysbebe said:

I am also on the 11/28 cruise and thinking I will use this test. How does it work?  Do you use the Q-tip? Then what do you with it to get the results?

Here's a link to a YouTube video of how the test works, It's been posted earlier in this thread but it'll save you time looking for it.

 

[Islandhop9]

We did the free CVS PCR test, results took 39 hours.  They had said 1-2 days. 

Was sweating a bit last night and ready to use our BinaxNow proctored tests this morning as plan b. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

I’ve done 3 of these proctored tests and it’s not very difficult.   I still have 2 sources of concern. First there continue to be reports of faulty tests without any liquid and that’s concerning if you don’t have back up tests. Second, about half the time I get a poor connection with the proctor with signal drop out and difficulty hearing the proctor.  Although there is a reconnect button, I don’t know what happens if you lose connection as you are conducting the test.  Doesn’t seem like it would be valid.

[helen haywood]

I did one test as a trial for our upcoming November cruise.  I have a six pack that will expire before our next cruise in January so I had spares.  I’m not tech savvy at all…but this test was very easy.  I had an account with eMed and the Navica app.  I logged into eMed and selected Take a Test.  The program ran a couple of diagnostic tests to confirm my camera and audio were on.  I was immediately connected to a proctor.  However after a couple of steps she said she was having “echoing” and asked if I’d mind doing the rest of the test via chat.  I said no problem.  I had to hold the test box up to my laptop’s camera as well as my drivers license.  I had to tilt the laptop down for the proctor to see the test card.  
 

Extremely easy!!  From firing up my laptop to printing out my negative results took just under 30 minutes.  For my husband I had thought he needed to set up both an eMed and Navica account.  But I realized the only reason I had an eMed account was because I purchased the tests from them.  He was able to go to the eMed site and just select the Take a Test option and it would have started it for him.  He did set up a Navica app.

 

I was so relieved that it was so easy and even a technologically challenged person could do it.  So glad I don’t have to worry unduly about it on the morning we start our two day drive to the port!

[Harrylinden]

Can We take this test through Face Time on my computer  or do we need to use some other form of a camera?

[canderson]

4 hours ago, Harrylinden said:

Can We take this test through Face Time on my computer  or do we need to use some other form of a camera?

If your computer has a camera, which it must if you are mentioning FaceTime, you're good to go.  Just requires some creative lid pointing.  You don't use FaceTime.  You use the site specified for the test to get started.

[mayleeman]

7 hours ago, Harrylinden said:

Can We take this test through Face Time on my computer  or do we need to use some other form of a camera?

 

To elaborate, you will log onto the site and follow the directions. When you are connected to a proctor, your camera will start videoing you. You won't be on a video call with the proctor, but you will hear and tslk to him/her. You actually will see drawings and instructions on the screen, and an inset view of yourself (like Facetime's inset of yourself). That shows you the view the proctor has, so you can adjust position, etc.

 

It is actually helpful to have someone else hold it in position so you don't have to worry about moving it around. 

 

Make sure you have a clear table or desk to put the test on, and that you are well lit. 

 

It is pretty easy  You should have no trouble!

[turquoisewater]

On 10/31/2021 at 9:55 AM, helen haywood said:

I did one test as a trial for our upcoming November cruise.  I have a six pack that will expire before our next cruise in January so I had spares.  I’m not tech savvy at all…but this test was very easy.  I had an account with eMed and the Navica app.  I logged into eMed and selected Take a Test.  The program ran a couple of diagnostic tests to confirm my camera and audio were on.  I was immediately connected to a proctor.  However after a couple of steps she said she was having “echoing” and asked if I’d mind doing the rest of the test via chat.  I said no problem.  I had to hold the test box up to my laptop’s camera as well as my drivers license.  I had to tilt the laptop down for the proctor to see the test card.  
 

Extremely easy!!  From firing up my laptop to printing out my negative results took just under 30 minutes.  For my husband I had thought he needed to set up both an eMed and Navica account.  But I realized the only reason I had an eMed account was because I purchased the tests from them.  He was able to go to the eMed site and just select the Take a Test option and it would have started it for him.  He did set up a Navica app.

 

I was so relieved that it was so easy and even a technologically challenged person could do it.  So glad I don’t have to worry unduly about it on the morning we start our two day drive to the port!

Thanks for sharing your experience.  When you use your laptop at what point do you login to the Navica app?  Do you open up the app first on your phone and login there before going to emed.com or is there a place on the emed.com site that you login to your navica account?  

[RichYak]

10 minutes ago, turquoisewater said:

Thanks for sharing your experience.  When you use your laptop at what point do you login to the Navica app?  Do you open up the app first on your phone and login there before going to emed.com or is there a place on the emed.com site that you login to your navica account?  

If you plan on using your laptop, you don't use your phone at all. Just go to emed.com and click on the "Start Testing" button.

[helen haywood]

Right.  You can do the test on a phone or laptop…I used the laptop entirely.  Just go to the eMed site (no account needed) and click on “Take a Test.”  At some point before you start you are asked to enter your Navica login.  You aren’t taken to another site…it just wants to connect you to your Navica account to send the test results.

[turquoisewater]

Does anybody know if a person can pack the test kits in their carryon luggage or does it have to be in checked luggage?