Results with iHealth testing - it works fine and test results look just like any other lab

[LeeW]

For those that are not aware, the government iHealth tests can be proctored by going to their site and paying around $30.  You can either order new tests at that time or use ones you have.

 

Once you buy the proctoring you will get an email with a link to the proctoring at your reserved time.  Follow the link.  The first thing that happens is that it tests your camera, microphone and sound.  You will see your camera picture on screen. Then you verify name, DOB, phone number, email and agree to the testing procedure.  Last thing is a link to the proctoring.  No reason you couldn't do this before actually taking the test to verify that your computer will do the job.  We were concerned since our internet is a bit slow but it worked fine.

 

Once you log on for testing you are in a queue.  Mine was 16 people and it took over 20 minutes to get a proctor.  Wife's was 1 in queue and took about 3 minutes.  They have you hold your ID up to camera and verify who you are.  Angle camera down to tabletop.  Then you open box.  While they say they want an unopened box, the proctor said we could use an open one.  They just need to see unopened swab, solution and unopened test bar.  Then open bar and place on table.  Then open swab, angle camera to show you, swab nostrils.  Angle camera back down.  Open large cap on bottle and stir with swab.  Squeeze out swab in bottle, recap, remove small cap and put three drops in strip.  Do not move the strip and make sure it stays in view of camera.  Proctor will start 15 minute timer and log off.

 

After 15 minutes you touch ready to read button and wait for proctor to come back on.  They will have you hold your ID back up to the camera, verify it is you, and then the test strip.  They will tell you results and immediately send email to you.  They want you to verify you got it - I had to go get my phone.  Results are a png form that looks just like all the other tests I have ever had.  Name, test type, test kit used, sample collected date and time (GMT and local), results reported date and time, DOB, issued by iHealth Labs, lab address.  At top is name and results in large type and a scan code.

 

Process took me almost 40 minutes, wife around 25.  Great process - we will use this one again.

[dcgrumpy]

"Government iHealth tests"? Are these different from other iHealth tests. The tests that I received free from the government were a different brand. I do have have iHealth tests that I purchased online, nothing to do with the government. Are the tests that you are referring to, different?

[smokeybandit]

The iHealth tests are all the same, no matter how you got them

[Reddgroom]

What is their website?

 

[Another_Critic]

20 minutes ago, Reddgroom said:

What is their website?

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

[cello56]

Please remember that not ALL of the tests the government sent out were the iHealth brand! I received two different brands and neither of them were iHealth. People need to check their brands.

[shof515]

7 minutes ago, cello56 said:

Please remember that not ALL of the tests the government sent out were the iHealth brand! I received two different brands and neither of them were iHealth. People need to check their brands.

yes. this happen to me. on the first set of tests i received were the ihealth kits. a few weeks ago, i request more tests and i got a different brand.its like a blue and white box 

[reallyitsmema]

2 hours ago, LeeW said:

For those that are not aware, the government iHealth tests can be proctored by going to their site and paying around $30.  You can either order new tests at that time or use ones you have.

 

 

It is my understanding that any of the iHealth tests can be proctored, even those that can be purchased OTC.  You just have to buy the proctor session.  

[not-enough-cruising]

35 minutes ago, cello56 said:

Please remember that not ALL of the tests the government sent out were the iHealth brand! I received two different brands and neither of them were iHealth. People need to check their brands.

Correct, it’s the orange and white box 

[Another_Critic]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Correct, it’s the orange and white box 

[denamo]

Lee W....Thank you for relaying your experience using the iHealth proctoring service.  I have already signed up for this service as well for our upcoming Allure cruise.

 

What time was your test scheduled?  Unusual your cue was longer than your wife's. 

 

Thanks again for sharing your experience.

[HicksRA]

Im planning on using mine as a backup in case CVS cancels out on us. 
Thanks for the info.  

[LadyZolt]

Just remember you cannot use a cell phone or tablet.  (I don't know why -- but that's what the technical requirements say.)

 

Technical Requirements 

The device you use to complete the appointment MUST meet the following requirements:

Have a stable and video-capable Wi-Fi connection.

Use an Internet-connected laptop or desktop computer only; tablets and smartphones are NOT supported.

The computer must have a mic AND a front-facing webcam.

Compatible web browser: Google Chrome.

[kateh513]

We recently used the IHeath in Puerto Rico with no problems.  It was  very similar to the Abbott test we used last year.  Since the test itself was free, we went ahead and purchased the proctored portion and gave it a try instead of purchasing the Abbott to save some money.

 

We weren't sure of our daily schedule so I waited until the night before to schedule the test.  I had been watching the available time slots and there seemed to be plenty until I went to schedule. There were only a few spots left for the day.  I probably should have booked a few days earlier.  

 

My husband went first and waited maybe 5 minutes for someone to connect. He waited until his schedule time to connect.   Once I received my email(I think it was 45 minutes prior to appt) I went ahead and connected and was taken immediately.  I have no idea if that was a coincidence or not. I'm glad I tried early.

 

We received the email and printed off the results at the hotel.  

Easy process!

[LadyBeBop]

And RCCL accepts this?  Sounds great. 
 

One question. There will be three of us (one under 14), and only one computer. Would we have to choose three different time slots?  Or can we all do the same time?

[kateh513]

We didn't have any problems with RCCL and Ihealth.  You can show them the QR code on your phone. Printing it was much easier than fumbling around on a phone. Luckily we could do that at the hotel. I think we had to show it 4 times going through several lines to get on the ship.  (it was the easiest and fastest we've ever boarded)

 

We only had one computer as well.  You will have to make 3 separate appointments. That is the only drawback to Ihealth.   Abbott tests you just connect when you are ready. 

 

They say 45 minutes per test but I would say 30 is plenty of time. You can check the availability of  time slots on their website without setting up an appointment.  They are every 15 minutes. You can try and connect  early so you don't have to wait around for 2 hours.  It worked for us once we received the email with the link.  I'm pretty sure that was 45 minutes prior to appointment time.

 

You can also change and cancel your appointments as well if something comes up and you need a different time.

[Kellie in Texas]

The orange and white box photo that @Another_Criticposted had me go to our bathroom cabinet to check and, sure enough, we have two of these boxes from our free government tests.  Expiration date is July 6, 2022.  Our cruise is June 5-12, 2022.

 

I have not opened the box but on the outside, it has a QR code to scan to download the iHealth Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test app on a smartphone.  @LadyZoltposted that the proctoring won't work on smartphones or tablets, but this instruction on the box seems to indicate it will. I also just noticed (in even smaller print!) that there's a link for a list of compatible smartphones.  Well, now I see some more small print that says use the app to "quickly start the test."  Nothing on the outside of the box says anything about a live proctor.  Hmmm.

[Another_Critic]

49 minutes ago, kateh513 said:

You can also change and cancel your appointments as well if something comes up and you need a different time.

Do you know if you can cancel and receive a refund? 

 

I will need a test next month prior to flying into the US from the UK.  I haven't explored what options are available in the UK for US residents, so I would at least like to have iHealth as plan B.

[reallyitsmema]

5 minutes ago, Kellie in Texas said:

The orange and white box photo that @Another_Criticposted had me go to our bathroom cabinet to check and, sure enough, we have two of these boxes from our free government tests.  Expiration date is July 6, 2022.  Our cruise is June 5-12, 2022.

 

I have not opened the box but on the outside, it has a QR code to scan to download the iHealth Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test app on a smartphone.  @LadyZoltposted that the proctoring won't work on smartphones or tablets, but this instruction on the box seems to indicate it will. I also just noticed (in even smaller print!) that there's a link for a list of compatible smartphones.  Well, now I see some more small print that says use the app to "quickly start the test."  Nothing on the outside of the box says anything about a live proctor.  Hmmm.

 

That app is not a proctored test, it is an app that takes you step by step through the test and sets a timer for you.  It is a tool to help you perform the test properly and keeps a record of your results.

[Reddgroom]

like reallyitsmema said, there are several ways to use an iHealth test. The QR code on the box is for the free app to use if you want to do the test at home, by yourself, and get the results registered online. DO NOT use the home-based app to take the test for travel. If you want to use the iHealth tests for travel, you need to go to the website and purchase the optional tele-health proctored visit, then follow the instructions there. Doing the test (for free) by yourself at home without a proctor is not accepted.

[Kellie in Texas]

@reallyitsmemathat's what I figured out after reading ALL the small print on the box.  😄

 @ReddgroomI'll check out the purchase-online proctored version before our trip. 

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, Kellie in Texas said:

 @ReddgroomI'll check out the purchase-online proctored version before our trip. 

You just have to purchase the proctored session if you already have the tests. 

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

[kateh513]

On 4/22/2022 at 2:53 PM, Another_Critic said:

Do you know if you can cancel and receive a refund? 

 

I will need a test next month prior to flying into the US from the UK.  I haven't explored what options are available in the UK for US residents, so I would at least like to have iHealth as plan B.

This is what is on their website. 

 

Your ticket number is valid for 6 months after purchase. You can cancel your order within 6 months if you haven’t used the service.

If you no longer need the service, you can cancel your order by logging in to your account. If you don’t have an account with us, simply register one using the same email address when you place the order. You will then be able to find and cancel your order in your account.

For other questions, please email us along with your order number at support@ihealthlabs.com, or call us at 650-300-0821.

[kateh513]

On 4/22/2022 at 2:53 PM, Another_Critic said:

Do you know if you can cancel and receive a refund? 

 

I will need a test next month prior to flying into the US from the UK.  I haven't explored what options are available in the UK for US residents, so I would at least like to have iHealth as plan B.

This is what is on their website. 

 

Your ticket number is valid for 6 months after purchase. You can cancel your order within 6 months if you haven’t used the service.

If you no longer need the service, you can cancel your order by logging in to your account. If you don’t have an account with us, simply register one using the same email address when you place the order. You will then be able to find and cancel your order in your account.

For other questions, please email us along with your order number at support@ihealthlabs.com, or call us at 650-300-0821.

[LeeW]

My gut feel is that if you don't actually log in for the appointment you can just change it to a later date.  So I figured if something went wrong and I couldn't meet the computer rules that wasn't an issue.  My internet can be flaky and we could have gone over to a family member's house if we couldn't log in.  There was always a risk of a dropped connection during the test - wouldn't get money back for that.  

 

Once you buy the proctoring you can follow the link to see if your computer works.  A bunch of tests happen before you get in the queue for proctoring.  It did check browser, camera, microphone and speaker.  I couldn't hear on the speaker since laptop was set  up for headphones.  So I plugged in the headphones.

 

The other question was about timing.  I got mine at 11:30 eastern and wife had hers at 12:00. Mine ran about 15 minutes overtime but no issue doing hers at about 12:15.  I think they schedule these just to spread out the appointments for the number of proctors they have.  Test and reading were actually four different people for the two of us.  While you could schedule several people at the same time you can't do the proctoring on the same computer for a second test until the first one is done.  So if you have four people I would schedule at 30 minute intervals unless you have multiple computers with Chrome on them.

 

By the way, the checkin folks in Miami had no problems with this test - it looks identical to all the ones we have had done in regular labs for the last seven cruises and foreign flights.

Edited April 24, 2022 by LeeW
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