Is Abbott BinaxNOW test guided? From Celebrity.

[zitsky]

Below from a friend.  Is this test guided?  Are they there to guide you through each step?  Or are they just there to give results?  How easy to do with a standard cell phone and camera?  This would be done in Rome, Italy.

 

I tried to use the USA government test at home but directions were not clear to me.  So I went to CVS.
 

Celebrity uses the Abbott BinaxNOW test. When you are ready to test, you call/facetime in and someone watches you do the test. The test is 
$35/each. Celebrity suggests buying 2 in case there is a problem with one.

https://store.optum.com/celebrity-cruises-tests/

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/italy-travel-requirements/updated
 

[canderson]

Yes, the ones pointed to by Celebrity are the proctored version.

 

However, the test procedure is the same as for the 'self-test' version, which is pretty easy, so if you had trouble with that...

 

Check for YouTube videos on how the whole thing works, including the proctoring process.  Proctors walk you through the process.

 

You may want to consider enlisting some help in Italy or consider a test site there.

Edited August 18, 2022 by canderson

[zitsky]

1 minute ago, canderson said:

Yes, the ones pointed to by Celebrity are the proctored version.

Ok thanks.  I don’t want to do it wrong.  But then I would know in a few minutes.  We plan to bring two each.

[canderson]

I added some to the post.  

[canderson]

Unless stopping in Greece, or Bermuda on a TA, I don't think your friend will need a proctored test after 5 September.

[mauimary]

We did it easily from our cell phone in our hotel room. Just need to be able to prop it up on something.   We were a little nervous as just as they were getting ready to read results we got cut off but someone else did come back online. It all worked out.  Just have a backup test with you just in case you need it. 

[zitsky]

Just now, canderson said:

Unless stopping in Greece, or Bermuda on a TA, I don't think your friend will need a proctored test after 5 September.

We are going to the following countries

 

Italy

Greece

Turkey

I want someone to say do this not that.  Maybe I’m the stupid one in the room but I wanted to be sure I did it right.  AND!  The government tests I have say very clearly, test may be negative and you still have Covid.

[zitsky]

3 minutes ago, mauimary said:

We did it easily from our cell phone in our hotel room. Just need to be able to prop it up on something.   We were a little nervous as just as they were getting ready to read results we got cut off but someone else did come back online. It all worked out.  Just have a backup test with you just in case you need it. 

Thank you.  You get an email with the results and flash your screen at a Celebrity staffer?

[canderson]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

We are going to the following countries

 

Italy

Greece

Turkey

 

Bzzzt.  Yup, Greece.  Proctored test required.

 

Months ago, there were frequent links to that video.  See if you can find it.  It may well improve your comfort level.  I'm on a phone, but perhaps someone on a PC (the search is poorer on a phone) can find the link for you.

 

You'll need to set up an account for each person at the proctoring site.  And taking the extra packs can't hurt.  There have been rare instances where the kit was bad - like no reagent in the bottle of test solution.

[mauimary]

6 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Thank you.  You get an email with the results and flash your screen at a Celebrity staffer?

We used the tests we bought from Celebrity. It helps to watch a YouTube video so you can see exactly what you need to do. The big hint we saw was to have a pr of scissors handy to open the box and contents. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by mauimary

[Jeremiah1212]

Tests are very easy to find in Rome. Very easy. Rarely an appointment is needed. Most cost 20€. 

[C-Dragons]

29 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Is this test guided?   Yes.

Are they there to guide you through each step?  Or are they just there to give results?   They will guide you step by step.

How easy to do with a standard cell phone and camera?  We did it with our iPhone.

This would be done in Rome, Italy.  We did ours in our hotel in Ft. Lauderdale.
 

We also used the Abbot Binax Now test.
It was easy peasy. 😊

[DCPIV]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

Thank you.  You get an email with the results and flash your screen at a Celebrity staffer?

 

Yes, you do.  It comes as a PDF file.  You may need a password to access the file, but that password will be your birthday in MMDDYYYY format.  If you don't want to mess with the password more than once, just take a screenshot of the results.

 

I really is a fairly easy procedure, and the proctor will guide you through it.  However, I encourage you to check out a video on YouTube just to get a little more comfortable.

 

Assuming nothing weird happens, the whole test procedure (including the 15 minute wait time for results to develop) takes about 25 minutes or so.

[DCPIV]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

Tests are very easy to find in Rome. Very easy. Rarely an appointment is needed. Most cost 20€. 

 

That's good to know.  There are a number of cities where it's fairly easy to find a test.  It's always good to have a backup plan, too.

[CNSfromHI]

My wife and I need to take the Abbott BinaxNOW test for our first cruise, which I purchased a few weeks ago. A natural worrier, I was nervous about how this test works since we need to take it the day we fly from Chicago to London on a Saturday to board the ship on Monday.

 

Anyway, this YouTube vid helped alleviate some of my worries; hope it helps you/others, too.

 

cjr

[cangelmd]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

We are going to the following countries

 

Italy

Greece

Turkey

I want someone to say do this not that.  Maybe I’m the stupid one in the room but I wanted to be sure I did it right.  AND!  The government tests I have say very clearly, test may be negative and you still have Covid.

Go to Walmart, buy a non-proctored Binax Now, it’s about $20 for 2 tests. Read the instructions carefully, then do the test. It’s simple, you will know before beginning your countdown to your trip that you are negative.

The proctors are very helpful, although some have thicker accents than others. Be aware that if they move their head away from their headset, a word or two may fall out. Don’t be shy about asking them to repeat themselves. We bought a tripod to hold the cellphone, and balanced one leg of the tripod on a book to get the proper angle, but then the phone was hands free. A pocket magnifier like you might use with a menu was helpful in reading the instructions on the cellphone screen, which was tilted at a weird angle. Honestly, we had more trouble with the proctor dropping a word or two because they were moving around than with the Wi-Fi, even on the ship out at sea. Wi-Fi at a hotel should work.

[scrapcreator]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

Thank you.  You get an email with the results and flash your screen at a Celebrity staffer?

I highly recommend taking a screenshot of your results and have that on your phone. This is a good backup just in case the internet is not cooperating as you check in. 

[zitsky]

6 hours ago, scrapcreator said:

I highly recommend taking a screenshot of your results and have that on your phone. This is a good backup just in case the internet is not cooperating as you check in. 

Good idea thanks. 

[zitsky]

7 hours ago, cangelmd said:

Go to Walmart, buy a non-proctored Binax Now, it’s about $20 for 2 tests. Read the instructions carefully, then do the test. It’s simple, you will know before beginning your countdown to your trip that you are negative.

The proctors are very helpful, although some have thicker accents than others. Be aware that if they move their head away from their headset, a word or two may fall out. Don’t be shy about asking them to repeat themselves. We bought a tripod to hold the cellphone, and balanced one leg of the tripod on a book to get the proper angle, but then the phone was hands free. A pocket magnifier like you might use with a menu was helpful in reading the instructions on the cellphone screen, which was tilted at a weird angle. Honestly, we had more trouble with the proctor dropping a word or two because they were moving around than with the Wi-Fi, even on the ship out at sea. Wi-Fi at a hotel should work.

I could be wrong but I believe that Greece requires a monitored and/or proctored test.  I don’t believe that one from Walmart would be acceptable.

[IslaSarah]

To clarify, there are two different Binax test options:

"Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card" (note the Ag card) is the test pack that has online video monitoring and provides you an official result that can be used for traveling. There is also the "BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Self-Test" that you just use on your own without a monitor and is not considered an official result. The test kit is the same, the difference is whether someone watches you prepare the test and looks at the result. So you could do a practice test with a "BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Self-Test" from Walgreens to make sure you understand how it works, before using the official Ag card test with the monitor. 

To address the question about the test information noting that you could still have Covid even if you test negative, that's true for any test, since you could have Covid but there is not enough virus antibody on the swab to trigger the test to show as positive. This is more likely if you're at the beginning of the infection and still have lower virus levels.

Edited August 19, 2022 by IslaSarah
spacing

[jwlane]

29 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 I don’t believe that one from Walmart would be acceptable.

You're correct---I read it as a suggestion to use the non-proctored test as a dry run, for familiarity, BEFORE the proctored test.

[cangelmd]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

I could be wrong but I believe that Greece requires a monitored and/or proctored test.  I don’t believe that one from Walmart would be acceptable.

A practice test. It is exactly the same test. Maybe you have already done one before? Just getting familiar with the process is helpful. Taking this test “for keeps” in a hotel in a foreign country is plenty stressful, worth $20 to me alleviate some of that stress.

And yes, your for keeps test has to be monitored.

[zitsky]

8 hours ago, cangelmd said:

A practice test. It is exactly the same test. Maybe you have already done one before? Just getting familiar with the process is helpful. Taking this test “for keeps” in a hotel in a foreign country is plenty stressful, worth $20 to me alleviate some of that stress.

And yes, your for keeps test has to be monitored.

I would use the word confusing not so much stressful.  We will have two or maybe three each.  We still have the option of going to a pharmacy or health facility and doing it there.

[mfs2k]

8 hours ago, cangelmd said:

A practice test. It is exactly the same test. Maybe you have already done one before? Just getting familiar with the process is helpful. Taking this test “for keeps” in a hotel in a foreign country is plenty stressful, worth $20 to me alleviate some of that stress.

And yes, your for keeps test has to be monitored.

I like the idea of a practice test before doing the proctored test. A negative result will give me more peace of mind and less stress. 

I work in Manhattan where there are testing vans on every corner. 
can I go to one of the LabQ vans and get tested the day before the cruise and use the email results they send me to board? Or does it have to be a testing site on a celebrity list ?

[RichYak]

55 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

I like the idea of a practice test before doing the proctored test. A negative result will give me more peace of mind and less stress. 

I work in Manhattan where there are testing vans on every corner. 
can I go to one of the LabQ vans and get tested the day before the cruise and use the email results they send me to board? Or does it have to be a testing site on a celebrity list ?

The vans should be fine, as long as all the info in the email meet Celebrity's requirements.