At home rapid tests

[Softball20]

Does anyone know if the test kits we get from Celebrity are the same kits we could buy (when available) on our own and give the results without having to be proctored? I would like to test today for Christmas, and the stores are out of kits.  I have my pre cruise kits for our January cruise so I figure I'll just use one now and order more for my cruise (if they don't come in time, I have a local place where I can do a rapid test pre-cruise).  I don't want to open the box, however, if I can only get the results in the proctored format.  

 

Thanks!

 

[wrk2cruise]

They are labeled a bit different so I don't know if they are exactly the same as the ones I buy at Walmart.   The proctored ones have the AG and the regular ones don't.   You can certainly use the proctored ones without the proctor and get valid results but since you already paid for the proctor why don't you just do it that way.  Good practice for when you do it for real!

[wrk2cruise]

Kits are generally hard to find right now.  OP wanted to use one they had on hand for a pre holiday test, not for boarding a cruise.

[Jim_Iain]

20 minutes ago, Softball20 said:

Does anyone know if the test kits we get from Celebrity are the same kits we could buy (when available) on our own and give the results without having to be proctored? I would like to test today for Christmas, and the stores are out of kits.  I have my pre cruise kits for our January cruise so I figure I'll just use one now and order more for my cruise (if they don't come in time, I have a local place where I can do a rapid test pre-cruise).  I don't want to open the box, however, if I can only get the results in the proctored format.  

 

Thanks!

 

They two kits are identical except a couple things.    The Monitored tests of course have a monitor and the home kits don't.   The home kits have two tests inside while the Proctored ones only have one.    I also noticed that the Home kit has a eye dropper bottle of reagent (since you use it for 2 tests) while the proctored have a single use pipette with reagent.   The price of the Proctored is higher.

 

I have used both and having a get together tomorrow and sent kits to all those attending to pre-test.

[Softball20]

I know that for pre-cruise testing it has to be proctored.  What I want to do is use one of my kits, which is exactly the same as the Binax kits one can buy elsewhere, before my cruise.  I just want to do one for Christmas eve peace of mind, and I'll order more, which I will do proctored for my cruise.  The binax ones I've done in the past show the results on the test itself; I just don't want to open one of these Celebrity coded boxes to do it for today if it won't give me my results without a proctor, and thereby negating it for use in the future.

[Softball20]

Just now, Jim_Iain said:

They two kits are identical except a couple things.    The Monitored tests of course have a monitor and the home kits don't.   The home kits have two tests inside while the Proctored ones only have one.    I also noticed that the Home kit has a eye dropper bottle of reagent (since you use it for 2 tests) while the proctored have a single use pipette with reagent.   The price of the Proctored is higher.

 

I have used both and having a get together tomorrow and sent kits to all those attending to pre-test.

Thanks. So it looks like I'll be able to use it today and I'll just have to get more for my sailing.

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, Softball20 said:

I know that for pre-cruise testing it has to be proctored.  What I want to do is use one of my kits, which is exactly the same as the Binax kits one can buy elsewhere, before my cruise.  I just want to do one for Christmas eve peace of mind, and I'll order more, which I will do proctored for my cruise.  The binax ones I've done in the past show the results on the test itself; I just don't want to open one of these Celebrity coded boxes to do it for today if it won't give me my results without a proctor, and thereby negating it for use in the future.

They are the same.  You swab, put qtip in slot, wait 15 minutes and read the results on the card

[Nashna]

I just gave one of mine that I bought to use for my January cruise to my son to test two of my grands who have the sniffles.  He was able to use the kit without proctoring.  Yeah!  They tested negative.  

[Jim_Iain]

They are a really good thing to have on hand.   My daughter, who is a radiation therapist, was feeling strange and initially thought since she was triple vaxed she would be ok I had her use one of my tests that I dropped at her house.   She tested positive.   She then went to the County for a PCR test and also tested positive.  Symptoms were mild and she was happy she hadn't gone work at the Hospital.

[wrk2cruise]

I went out and bought a few about a week ago.  The Walmart by my house said no stock on the website, went to the closest one which said they had stock and they were out, third on had some.  A couple days later people were saying there weren't any anywhere.

[jhagen]

Wondering what kind of expiration date is on those purchased from Celebrity lately. ..?

[Softball20]

Thanks for the replies.  I did the test - negative -yay!   I have ordered a couple more for the actual cruise.  There is another difference in the test, by the way, there are no real directions other than a little pictorial on the test card!!  Luckily I had done a couple of these Binax tests before, so I was familiar with the process.

 

As for expiation dates, there was a card on the inside of the packaging noting that the expiration dates have been extended by the FDA for three months past the expiration date of the kit. 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! 

[Nashna]

I received my test kit yesterday and it says April 10, 2022.

 

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, Softball20 said:

Thanks for the replies.  I did the test - negative -yay!   I have ordered a couple more for the actual cruise.  There is another difference in the test, by the way, there are no real directions other than a little pictorial on the test card!!  Luckily I had done a couple of these Binax tests before, so I was familiar with the process.

 

Google is your friend.  🙂  In case others need them: the instructions can be found on line (pgs 5-6 at the first link below).  I'd looked them up previously in the event we wanted to do just what you did: use the tests without a proctor.  And we have since done so; it was good to have the instructions. 

 

https://www.fda.gov/media/141570/download

 

Also here:

https://www.fda.gov/media/144574/download

[Turtles06]

BTW, I can now add from my personal experience that sometimes the test kits come with some damage or imperfection that will not allow them to be used at all, or not used with a proctor, so you definitely want a backup, especially if you need it on schedule for travel.   

 

On one of the two kits we opened to test ourselves after returning from a cruise earlier this month, the label you pull off to expose the adhesive that keeps the card closed during the 15 minutes while the test is being processed had been put on incorrectly across the card (instead of on the edge), and when peeled off took the adhesive with it, which meant there was none to keep the card closed.  I'd read previously of someone having the same experience, and the proctor would not let her use that card.  In my case, since we were just testing without a proctor, I held the card closed for the 15 minutes. 

[TeeRick]

The at home COVID tests are very hard to find in my part of PA and I suspect most places right now.  There is supposed to be a US government website opening in January where you can order them for free.  There are supposed to be 500 million tests available.  If you buy your test it is supposed to be reimbursable by private health insurance.  All according to President Biden's speech this week.  None of this will likely apply to pre-cruise testing or costs, but it will help overall. You will still need the proctored tests.  But a pre-check test before travel or visiting relatives would be nice to have.  I could not find one anywhere yesterday.   I think a lot of people are hoarding the at-home tests now - just like the toilet paper hoarders in 2020.😬

[mayleeman]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

since we were just testing without a proctor, I held the card closed for the 15 minutes

Bulldog clips are good to keep on hand. 

 

We have done both types of tests. The card seems the same on both. The only physical diff we could see is the single-use pipette in the non-monitored test. 

[ohiojohn]

We received our Optum COVID tests yesterday.  The tests were shipped from Oakland, CA by FedEx.

The manufacturing date was Dec 9,

[phoenix_dream]

4 hours ago, jhagen said:

Wondering what kind of expiration date is on those purchased from Celebrity lately. ..?

We just got some dated in November 2022, ordered two days ago.  We have several that will expire before our next cruise (we missed the date by a week!)  so we may use those for holiday testing as well.

[phoenix_dream]

3 minutes ago, ohiojohn said:

We received our Optum COVID tests yesterday.  The tests were shipped from Oakland, CA by FedEx.

The manufacturing date was Dec 9,

Since the FDA extended the effective dates for one year rather than 9 months, wonder why the expiration is November 2022 rather than December.

[ohiojohn]

14 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Since the FDA extended the effective dates for one year rather than 9 months, wonder why the expiration is November 2022 rather than December.

 

14 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Since the FDA extended the effective dates for one year rather than 9 months, wonder why the expiration is November 2022 rather than December.

I am guessing I would just add 3 months to the November 2022 date.

However, we have a Celebrity Alaska cruise in May. So I will need to order only 2 for that cruise, and use our current third one as backup.

[Turtles06]

15 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Since the FDA extended the effective dates for one year rather than 9 months, wonder why the expiration is November 2022 rather than December.

The original test kits had an expiration date in 9 months. Based on shelf-life data, the FDA in spring 2021 gave a 3-month extension to those kits. The newest kits are being shipped showing an expiration in 12 months (see the label in comment 18 above; it’s 12 months, not a year).

[Turtles06]

2 minutes ago, ohiojohn said:

 

I am guessing I would just add 3 months to the November 2022 date.

 

That would not be correct. See my comment immediately above. 

[ohiojohn]

1 minute ago, Turtles06 said:

That would not be correct. See my comment immediately above. 

Thank you, I understand and I was only guessing.  My third test kit will be used In May anyway.  Appreciate you providing more accurate data.

Happy Holidays.

[Turtles06]

Just now, ohiojohn said:

Thank you, I understand and I was only guessing.  My third test kit will be used In May anyway.  Appreciate you providing more accurate data.

Happy Holidays.

 

You're most welcome, and Happy Holidays to you and yours as well!