Walgreens NAAT test

[thepla]

It seems Walgreens has Antigen (never avaialable), PCR 1-2 days and NAAT couple of hours. Since our cruise if 07/05 and we are commuting 07/04. With holiday best option is NAAT. IS that valid for Oceania? Oceania website is specific to antigen and PCR.

 

Does anyone have an experience with NAAT from walgreens?

[CurlerRob]

1 hour ago, thepla said:

It seems Walgreens has Antigen (never avaialable), PCR 1-2 days and NAAT couple of hours. Since our cruise if 07/05 and we are commuting 07/04. With holiday best option is NAAT. IS that valid for Oceania? Oceania website is specific to antigen and PCR.

 

Does anyone have an experience with NAAT from walgreens?

 

This question has come up on a number of boards, and is still missing a definitive answer as far as I know.

 

A PCR test is simply one form of a NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test). There are multiple other testing methods under the NAAT umbrella - from your CDC:

 

NAATs can use many different methods to amplify nucleic acids and detect the virus, including but not limited to:

 

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Isothermal amplification including:
   Nicking endonuclease amplification reaction (NEAR)
   Transcription mediated amplification (TMA)
   Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)
   Helicase-dependent amplification (HDA)
   Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)
   Strand displacement amplification (SDA)

 

All NAATs for COVID detect viral RNA, whereas antigen tests detect the presence of a specific viral antigen - things produced by the virus' presence.

 

It is unclear whether the rapid (couple of hours) NAAT offered by Wallgreens is a PCR test, to conform with O's requirements. Walgreens web site is not definitive - it talks about a 48-hour PCR test (which would conform) as well as a rapid NAAT done in 2 hours, which is not defined. I'd guess that it might be a LAMP NAAT, common in point of care locations.

 

If you are still concerned, I'd reach out to Walgreens and ask what the testing mechanism is for the 2-hour NAAT, then get an acceptance from O in writing. 🍺🥌

[thepla]

3 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

 

This question has come up on a number of boards, and is still missing a definitive answer as far as I know.

 

A PCR test is simply one form of a NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test). There are multiple other testing methods under the NAAT umbrella - from your CDC:

 

NAATs can use many different methods to amplify nucleic acids and detect the virus, including but not limited to:

 

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Isothermal amplification including:
   Nicking endonuclease amplification reaction (NEAR)
   Transcription mediated amplification (TMA)
   Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)
   Helicase-dependent amplification (HDA)
   Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)
   Strand displacement amplification (SDA)

 

All NAATs for COVID detect viral RNA, whereas antigen tests detect the presence of a specific viral antigen - things produced by the virus' presence.

 

It is unclear whether the rapid (couple of hours) NAAT offered by Wallgreens is a PCR test, to conform with O's requirements. Walgreens web site is not definitive - it talks about a 48-hour PCR test (which would conform) as well as a rapid NAAT done in 2 hours, which is not defined. I'd guess that it might be a LAMP NAAT, common in point of care locations.

 

If you are still concerned, I'd reach out to Walgreens and ask what the testing mechanism is for the 2-hour NAAT, then get an acceptance from O in writing. 🍺🥌

Thanks for advice. I'd 1-2 day PCR but my concern is holiday and going to a lab vs. in house at Walgreens. If we take PCR on 2nd, results might not be done in time for flight on 4th and even cruise on 5th.

[CurlerRob]

3 minutes ago, thepla said:

Thanks for advice. I'd 1-2 day PCR but my concern is holiday and going to a lab vs. in house at Walgreens. If we take PCR on 2nd, results might not be done in time for flight on 4th and even cruise on 5th.

That is the same concern that has caused others to ask the question about the Walgreen's rapid test. I have seen suggestions that people have had good success with internet proctored antigen tests - inexpensive and an easy, timely process. Good luck! 🍺🥌

[lj77346]

We’ve used the Walgreen’s NAAT test twice for cruises on Oceania in May 2022 and currently on the June 27, 2022 Regatta sailing and the results were accepted.

Edited June 29, 2022 by lj77346

[thepla]

8 hours ago, lj77346 said:

We’ve used the Walgreen’s NAAT test twice for cruises on Oceania in May 2022 and currently on the June 27, 2022 Regatta sailing and the results were accepted.

Did you do NAAT at 2 days or 3 days. Walgreens site says test is between anitigen and PCR.

[Cheesi]

We used the proctored test via Inspire. It was so easy. We’re aboard the Regatta for the June 27th sailing also. 

[lj77346]

thepla - We did the test at Walgreens at 2 days and had the results within 2 hours.

[amusea]

We used the 2 day rapid NAAT test and had no trouble when boarding our Silversea cruise two weeks ago.  I had checked with Silversea in advance and they said that it was acceptable.   But interestingly, the official at the check-in desk couldn't determine whether it was a PCR or Antigen test.  However, it was accepted without any problem.

 

We are planning to use the  2 day drive-in Walgreens NAAT rapid test again for our August Oceania cruise.  The Walgreens is only two blocks from our house.

[ORV]

15 hours ago, amusea said:

We used the 2 day rapid NAAT test and had no trouble when boarding our Silversea cruise two weeks ago.  I had checked with Silversea in advance and they said that it was acceptable.   But interestingly, the official at the check-in desk couldn't determine whether it was a PCR or Antigen test.  However, it was accepted without any problem.

 

We are planning to use the  2 day drive-in Walgreens NAAT rapid test again for our August Oceania cruise.  The Walgreens is only two blocks from our house.

Unless the policy changes again you won’t need a test in Oct, depending on where your cruise is.