Anyone having difficulty finding a rapid antigen site?

[macman]

We'll be sailing on the Viking Sea in May. We've started looking for sites that will provide a lab certified result in a timely manner.  Unfortunately, PCR results are taking 3-5- days and the number of rapid sites are limited or are not promising results within 24 hours. Anyone in the US use a Walgreens or CVS with success in the last month? 

[austinetc]

We've used CVS twice for the PCR test. Results came back in about 30 hours. We have appointments for Antigen tests next week with CVS. Getting reservations was a non-problem. Lots of open time slots.

[CILCIANRQTS]

We could not schedule an antigen test at any CVS in our state.

I suspect they backed away from them because everyone now has access to free tests, so their volume went way down.

We instead used their rapid PCR, which gave us results in slightly over 24 hours.

[CTLeeA]

Consider ordering at home test, which include tele-monitioring...order on the RCCL site.  Results take about 20 minutes to have emailed to you.

[DrKoob]

5 hours ago, CTLeeA said:

Consider ordering at home test, which include tele-monitioring...order on the RCCL site.  Results take about 20 minutes to have emailed to you.

 

We agree. We have used these twice now and they are really easy. We get up in the morning and we each do ours while the other is in the shower. That's about how long it took. You just get on, follow the directions and you are all set. Keep in mind that when you buy the tests you do have to buy six at a time but just make sure you have an extra with you in case it comes out "inconclusive," and you have to retake. This has not happened to us but we have seen people post that it did happen to them.

[longterm]

16 hours ago, macman said:

We'll be sailing on the Viking Sea in May. We've started looking for sites that will provide a lab certified result in a timely manner.  Unfortunately, PCR results are taking 3-5- days and the number of rapid sites are limited or are not promising results within 24 hours. Anyone in the US use a Walgreens or CVS with success in the last month? 

We used an urgent care clinic twice, and both times we got the PCR test results same day. 
 

i wouldn’t count on either Walgreens or CVS. 

[curmudgeon98]

Inexpensive/free Rapid antigen tests sites are pretty scarce in my area.  There are definitely places here that will do them for $100-150 (urgent care clinics).  Last month we did a (free) PCR test through CVS for which we got results back in about 30 hours, but there was no result time guarantee.

 

We have a month of travel coming up in May, and I'm figuring to do a home rapid test before we leave, and then take an official PCR test (for which we may or may not have results before we get on the plane, but they should serve as official documentation).  I'm thinking we will want to take some of the telemonitoring tests along for our return (I'm hoping US will join most of the rest of the world in dropping the travel test requirement, but I wouldn't want to bet on it).

[CCWineLover]

On 4/13/2022 at 5:28 AM, DrKoob said:

 

We agree. We have used these twice now and they are really easy. We get up in the morning and we each do ours while the other is in the shower. That's about how long it took. You just get on, follow the directions and you are all set. Keep in mind that when you buy the tests you do have to buy six at a time but just make sure you have an extra with you in case it comes out "inconclusive," and you have to retake. This has not happened to us but we have seen people post that it did happen to them.

Thanks!  We bought the pack of 6.  We are trying it out for the first time this Monday ahead of our Tuesday international flight.  We'll see how it goes!  Then we have 2 to return on and 2 "spares" 🙂

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by CCWineLover

[takemewithyou]

On 4/13/2022 at 9:29 AM, longterm said:

We used an urgent care clinic twice, and both times we got the PCR test results same day. 
 

i wouldn’t count on either Walgreens or CVS. 

Had an appointment for my spouse and I today at CVS for PCR at the 72 hour point prior to our cruise.  Made the appointment over a week for the both of us.  Had several texts yesterday reminding me.  Several texts today with reminders, including a video to watch on how to take the test.

We arrive at CVS at the appointed time.  Sorry, they say, we are no longer doing them at this location!  So, yeah, I wouldn’t depend on CVS.  They couldn’t even contact me to tell me they were no longer doing them at that location! GRrrrr!

Edited April 14, 2022 by takemewithyou

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, takemewithyou said:

Had an appointment for my spouse and I today at CVS for PCR at the 72 hour point prior to our cruise.  Made the appointment over a week for the both of us.  Had several texts yesterday reminding me.  Several texts today with reminders, including a video to watch on how to take the test.

We arrive at CVS at the appointed time.  Sorry, they say, we are no longer doing them at this location!  So, yeah, I wouldn’t depend on CVS.  They couldn’t even contact me to tell me they were no longer doing them at that location! GRrrrr!

That happened to us last month at Walgreens.  Same exact thing.  Apparently the demand for "lab certified" tests has dropped so rapidly.  Most people only need the free at-home tests, they told us.  We are victims of supply and demand.  Not too many Viking customers in need these days I guess.

[cabogal]

There aren't any CVS's or Walgreens near me that are offering the Rapid Antigen test anymore.  We will have to do a PCR test within 72 hours. They are doing a Rapid NAAT test. I did a chat with Viking and the CS person said the only NAAT that Viking accepts is an RT-PCR NAAT, whatever that is.

 

[Peregrina651]

We had to pay for our last pre-cruise test. They gave us receipts which I submitted to our health insurance company.  A few weeks later,  we received a check for the full amount.  

[cmaasfamily]

Here's our dilemma - shared by others this spring and summer I'm sure. We fly to Stockholm on a Sunday to board Viking on Wednesday. We are not on a Viking extension. Current Viking rules state that, for this scenario, our 72 hour PCR or 24 Antigen testing window is associated with our "first Viking activity" rather than boarding our first international flight. 

 

Surprisingly, I have found a lab a couple of miles from home that is open Sunday morning and (for a 100% upcharge) will gaurantee ceritifed PCR results in four hours. So, with a little help from the six hour time difference, and assuming everything works perfectly (ha!), we can test before we leave and happily board Jupiter at our appointed window. 

 

Alternately, we could Antigen test on Tuesday in Stockholm. There seem to be many places that test and are close to our hotel, but A) its not how we wanted to spend our day there, and B) my prelimenary research leaves me with some doubt on the availablity of service to non-Swedish citzens (or at a minimum requiring extended paperwork and time)

 

Obviously testing postive will be unpleasant anywhere, but it would far less impactful (financially and otherwise) to get the results before we board the plane. However, the precise timing required is unnerving.  The timing if testing in Stockholm is tight too, but not as critical.

 

Changing the flight by a day would cost > $4K for the two us at the rates I see currently. I'm not above begging, but I don't think Delta will relent.

 

Interested in how others are appoaching this mess. Anyone from the US with experience getting tested in Sweden? 

Edited April 15, 2022 by cmaasfamily

[bpolen]

In another thread we discussed very similar scenarios.  I will be signing up for Telehealth solutions where  we we can pick a time that works best for us then set up a video chat from my laptop to have a proctored Antigen test.  If we pass after the 15 minute allotted time they will email/send a update to phone app so that we approval to board our cruise.  

 

https://www.azova.com/travelvideo/

https://ihealthlabs.com/products/ihealth-verified-covid-test-service

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I haven't had any problem with my 2 previous CVS antigen tests in San Diego.   Have another one scheduled for tomorrow.

[takemewithyou]

I am just going to do the online test next time.  I would have done it this time but Viking only named a couple of online tests that were accepted and it seemed to be too much of a hassle to figure out what they would allow and accept and what they wouldn’t!  
 

Actually the whole thing is a hassle and I think they need to simplify.  We sailed on Azamara in Dec and it was so easy and simple.  Show up and they test you prior to boarding with a rapid antigen test and result available in about 15 min. This has been more stressful. 

[Reymac]

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I do feel that Viking patrons need to share their respective challenges with testing.  I do think free at home testing is reducing the availability of free or affordable testing for those traveling. I think Azamara has a great approach. 

[CCWineLover]

2 hours ago, Reymac said:

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I do feel that Viking patrons need to share their respective challenges with testing.  I do think free at home testing is reducing the availability of free or affordable testing for those traveling. I think Azamara has a great approach. 

Absolutely agree with you - in fact, that is what both CVS and Walgreens told us - that hardly anyone needs a "real" lab test anymore, since everyone uses the free at home tests now.  Only those on Viking and some other cruise ships need them.  Not even needed for airlines or most countries.   Will be interesting to see if Viking continues this requirement as well as daily testing all the way into 2023.

[bobitegirl]

On 4/14/2022 at 4:19 PM, CCWineLover said:

Thanks!  We bought the pack of 6.  We are trying it out for the first time this Monday ahead of our Tuesday international flight.  We'll see how it goes!  Then we have 2 to return on and 2 "spares" 🙂

 

How did it go? Were these the proctored Binax now tests? I'm a little confused since the previous poster said he purchased them on the RCCL site. Since Viking's examples of acceptable tests are PCR tests, I just need to know that rapid antigen home tests (proctored) were accepted. And if not Binax, what tests did you get and how long did it take to receive them?  Really appreciate any info or help you can provide!!