Wondering if anyone has had problems finding getting tested recently

[Top_of_the_Cube]

Just now, Lady_E said:

 

EXCELLENT, thank you Top! That's what I was trying to find out and their website isn't very clear. Should my wife have her own account or does only one of us need the app?

 

You both need your own individual account.  I am happy to share any information from my experience, and I also encourage that you watch a few folks on YouTube who video their whole experience.  Just search the name of the test.

[Lady_E]

5 minutes ago, Top_of_the_Cube said:

 

In late October, we just did the "I have a test" when we were ready to do it, no appointment.  May be up to a thirty minute wait, from reports from others at that time, but both my wife and I got connected to a proctor within five minutes.

 

EXCELLENT, thank you Top! That's what I was trying to find out and their website isn't very clear. Should my wife have her own account or does only one of us need the app?

Just now, Top_of_the_Cube said:

 

You both need your own individual account.  I am happy to share any information from my experience, and I also encourage that you watch a few folks on YouTube who video their whole experience.  Just search the name of the test.

 

Awesome, will do!

[icft]

We have a cruise out of New Orleans in a couple of weeks. Today I called the urgent care place in Baton Rouge where we got our last two tests to see which way the wind is blowing on test availability. They said they were out of antigen tests, didn't know when they would get more, but were still doing PCR tests with results in about three days. Obviously the PCR result time is too long so we just booked tests at the terminal to get out of the test hunt game.

[ilovesparky13]

I wouldn’t trust anything other than the at home test kits right now. 

[mac21902]

3 hours ago, Top_of_the_Cube said:

 

This can be confusing.  But from my own experience, which seems to coincide with reports of others on CruiseCritic -

 

When ordering, don't worry so much about what names the tests are registered to.  It is okay for one person to make the purchase for all the tests.  Just answer the questions as if you are the sole end-user and do whatever it takes to get the the on-line site to approve your purchase.  As I understand it, this process was originally designed for individuals who needed to take multiple periodic tests, like maybe for a job or something.

 

Once your order is received, each individual test kit (containing one test) is now available to anyone.  Each person has to set up their own account as instructed on the outside of the test box.  Search YouTube for some excellent videos of folks walking you through the whole process.  It is quite simple, but there can be issues.  I, for one, could not understand the proctor's accent.  My wife had to help me.  Without her, not sure I could have competed the test successfully.  Others have received kits that lacked certain supplies.  Highly recommend ordering extras.  And do NOT open any of the individual kit boxes until connected to a proctor, and they instruct you to open 'er up.

 

To tie this back to the original post, just out of curiosity for those who have ordered the home proctored kits as Plan B or C, why not use them as Plan A?  Not being critical, inquiring minds want to know.  Thanks.

 

 

This was super helpful, thanks!

[babygrljaz]

I'm in the Houston area, we were tested for exposure.  The 1st test wasn't bad at all, no line it was the morning when all the madness started (Dec 27).  We were told results would be back in 24 hrs.  But nope got our results late Thursday.  2nd test though was on NYE, wow it felt like the longest wait ever, 2+ hrs wait in line.  At that location we were told 48-72 hrs for results.  We got those results last night.  So both were 3 days.  I was planning on using the 2nd location for our cruise testing since it is so close to home, but nope not if it takes that long.  The last 2 cruises Walgreens & CVS worked out perfectly fine so I will stick with them if they have openings.  I've been doing trial runs on both & it seems the same, a lot of available appointments over night.  When I tried during the day both websites would time out due to too much traffic.  Hoping the demand dies down in a couple of weeks

[nijoli]

I ordered direct from eMed on the 1st but they haven't been shipped out yet. Eek! I cruise next week and they overnight them once they do ship, but I am still a little worried. 

[klfrodo]

17 minutes ago, nijoli said:

I ordered direct from eMed on the 1st but they haven't been shipped out yet. Eek! I cruise next week and they overnight them once they do ship, but I am still a little worried. 

Interesting. I ordered yesterday and received my shipping information this morning.

[cinlo]

I ordered the 6 pack from Emed on Friday, recieved today (Tues.).  Not bad over a holiday weekend.  The expiration is Nov. 2022.  

[tpmartin]

On 1/3/2022 at 8:42 PM, groundloop said:

I'd bought the emed test kits some time ago as a backup and since they were nearing expiration used them for our last cruise. 

 

I just checked their website and it looks like they're now only selling 6-packs for $150, with no mention of when they expire.  

I just received my test kits from Emed and they expire on 11/21/22

[rwest898]

I ordered from Emed yesterday and received my test today.  The expiration is 12/2/2 2022.

[land64shark]

On 1/3/2022 at 10:18 PM, land64shark said:

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. I have an appointment at Walgreens at 4:30 and a backup at CVS at 6:30. And then I have a backup-backup at Walgreens for the next day. Yes, I had to plan way ahead to get them scheduled. CVS was like 13 or 14 days in advance and Walgreens was 7 or 8 days. I don't remember exactly anymore. I just went on their sites and saw how far out the next available appts were becoming available and then timed myself accordingly to get up early and book them when my day arrived. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully the extras won't be needed and I will just cancel them.

Well that was a stressful ride! I sail tomorrow and as I said above, I had 3 covid test appts lined up. The first was yesterday after work at 4:30 at Walgreens. After performing the test I thought all was good and I cancelled my 6:30 CVS appt. Something made me wait to cancel my other Walgreens appt that I had set up for today until I received my results. Good call! I heard nothing until I got an email at 5:00 am this morning saying my test was "inconclusive". Good thing I had another appt for today!. So I went to that one at a different Walgreens at 3:15 today. I was NOT feeling good about their process and they even said results in 12-24 hrs. WHAT? In a panic I quickly checked CVS again for any openings and hit the jackpot, There was one lone appt at 6:20pm today. I snagged it. (My travel partner in Florida did CVS and got results in 2 hrs.) Then wonder of wonders, I got the email from Walgreens with my negative results! Woot! Woot! I am good to go now, but it was a really stressful 2 days. (And I was not convinced that I wouldn't turn up positive with all of the covid in the community, so there was that stress too.)