PCR test 72 hours before departure... how is that possible?

[Carmine6]

9 hours ago, at15 said:

I am planning on doing the Pixel by LabCorp PCR test kit at home and sending back via FedEx. Has anyone done this one? Is it accepted the same as any other PCR test?

The test has to be an RT-PCR test, which their website says it is:

 

Quote

The Pixel by LabCorp™ COVID-19 at-home kit is a molecular test, also known as a reverse polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).  This test detects the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

I went through the steps to order one to check the price and answered truthfully, and it says a test is not recommended for me at this time and wouldn't let me past that.  I got out of the browser, came back in and it still says that without letting me answer again.  So it saved a cookie or something.

 

I don't know if they would allow an at home test since there's no control over the collection of the sample.  Either who's sample it is, or that it was taken correctly.  But I don't know how anyone would know unless they have a list of disallowed labs or the test results said something to that effect.  If it works, post, because it would be a good option for many people who are not near enough to labs with a quick turnaround.

[Carmine6]

9 hours ago, at15 said:

I am planning on doing the Pixel by LabCorp PCR test kit at home and sending back via FedEx. Has anyone done this one? Is it accepted the same as any other PCR test?

The test has to be an RT-PCR test, which their website says it is:

 

Quote

The Pixel by LabCorp™ COVID-19 at-home kit is a molecular test, also known as a reverse polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).  This test detects the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

I went through the steps to order one to check the price and answered truthfully, and it says a test is not recommended for me at this time and wouldn't let me past that.  I got out of the browser, came back in and it still says that without letting me answer again.  So it saved a cookie or something.

 

I don't know if they would allow an at home test since there's no control over the collection of the sample.  Either who's sample it is, or that it was taken correctly.  But I don't know how anyone would know unless they have a list of disallowed labs or the test results said something to that effect.  If it works, post, because it would be a good option for many people who are not near enough to labs with a quick turnaround.

[Prince77]

Looks like Covid is a billion dollar business for some and a downfall for many.

[chainarong]

On 12/21/2020 at 4:48 PM, thaiscot said:

It is only the results than need to be with in 72 hrs not when you get  tested   ie get tested 5 days before your flight if results take 3 days you have results 2 days or 48 hrs before your flight, it is also only within 72 hrs of 1st flight not connecting flights, i am in thailand already been out of ASQ  nearly 2 weeks now so i have done it already

Correct, the incubation period can be anything from 3 up to 10 days hence the 14 quarantine.

[daviddunham]

On 12/21/2020 at 3:26 AM, KwaiMaiSabai said:

The average turn-around time for PCR testing is about 3 days.

 

It's not possible to get a PCR test and results within 72 hours. The new "rapid" tests don't count? On some official Thai websites they don't state "PCR" but on others they do state "PCR"

 

What am I supposed to do? 

What have others done?

In my country (Switzerland) the result comes in less than 24h and all covid tests are free (as should be)

 

good luck to you

[Mai mee]

Wow, this is still maybe the toughest test of all, this 72hrs business, but I think I have a plan that will work. I got no help from my local regular doctor here in New Mexico, and nobody locally can to a PCR test with a guaranteed turnaround time of less than 72 hrs, so... here's my plan and I think it will work.

 

Flight (EVA AIR BR11) departs LAX at 23:05 on Wed Jan 20

 

Fly to LA on Mon. afternoon, Jan 18, rent a car, check into airport area hotel. From hotel do telemedicine appointment with doctor from quick.md and get Fit-to-Fly emailed to me within one hour after consult on zoom/skype/whatever they use (I'll find out)... boom, halfway there.

 

FWIW quick.md claims to have never had a certificate denied at the airport, and are familiar and have dealt with Thailand issues.

 

https://quick.md/fit-to-fly-certificate/

 

Tues. morning first thing... Drive up to Santa Monica (1/2 hr maybe) and get Covid test swabbing from Serenity.

https://chooseserenity.com/covid

If tested before noon, results guaranteed before midnight... now 23 hrs before flight time, and both parts complete. sleep in on Wed. morning and kill time until I depart just before midnight Wednesday...

 

At least it all pencils out with just a little bit of leeway, so It's the route I'm planning to take for the "Final72"

 

Cost:  $75 to quick.md for the FTF

           $ 185 to Sernenity for the Covid test

Total:  $260 for tests   + 2 nights hotel

 

In theory it could all be done within 1 day prior to departure but I'm not willing to shave it that thin. If you are local to your departure airport, it wouldn't be very tough at all. But everything hinges on access to a facility that can provide rapid lab results. If you ain't in the big city, fuggetaboutit.

[federicoP]

3 hours ago, Mai mee said:

 

From hotel do telemedicine appointment with doctor from quick.md and get Fit-to-Fly emailed to me within one hour after consult on zoom/skype/whatever they use (I'll find out)... boom, halfway there.

 

FWIW quick.md claims to have never had a certificate denied at the airport, and are familiar and have dealt with Thailand issues.

 

 

Check well the FtF sent by email.

In some countries the Thai embassies request a hard copy of this certificate because they want that the doctor really visit the patient

[tgeezer]

Fit to Fly, just another pointless piece of paper, what could render a person unfit to fly? This certificate is the result of asking a bureaucrat to react to an unusual situation.  A COVID Free Certificate is a little more pertinent but since the disease is world wide there is little point in that now.  The destruction of the Western economies is the aim so any impediment to flying has to be considered beneficial. 

Edited December 30, 2020 by tgeezer

[KwaiMaiSabai]

how is fit to fly or the covid test even verified? 

 

given the irregularity of the fit-to-fly test, couldnt someone just fabricate a document?

[srowndedbyh2o]

17 hours ago, Mai mee said:

here's my plan and I think it will work.

 

Flight (EVA AIR BR11) departs LAX at 23:05 on Wed Jan 20

 

Fly to LA on Mon. afternoon, Jan 18, rent a car, check into airport area hotel.

Hopefully things in L.A. will have improved by the time you fly in.

Rather than just make a hotel reservation online for a hotel in the LAX area, you may want to call individual hotels to find out how closely they are following the current “lock-down” restrictions.

 

But ‘current’ rules for L.A. area hotels;

 

“A Regional Stay-at-Home Order is currently in effect for the Southern California region, which includes Los Angeles.

Hotels and lodging in Los Angeles County can only offer accommodation for critical infrastructure support including essential workers, COVID-19 mitigation, containment and treatment measures.

Hotels and lodging currently cannot accept or honor out-of-state reservations for non-essential travel, unless the reservation is for at least the minimum period required for quarantine (10 days) and the persons identified in the reservation will quarantine in the hotel or lodging entity until after that time period has expired”.

 

I have read that by law (right to privacy?) that if you tell a hotel you are an ‘essential worker', they are not allowed to ask you for proof, so…

[Mai mee]

23 minutes ago, srowndedbyh2o said:

Hopefully things in L.A. will have improved by the time you fly in.

Rather than just make a hotel reservation online for a hotel in the LAX area, you may want to call individual hotels to find out how closely they are following the current “lock-down” restrictions.

 

But ‘current’ rules for L.A. area hotels;

 

“A Regional Stay-at-Home Order is currently in effect for the Southern California region, which includes Los Angeles.

Hotels and lodging in Los Angeles County can only offer accommodation for critical infrastructure support including essential workers, COVID-19 mitigation, containment and treatment measures.

Hotels and lodging currently cannot accept or honor out-of-state reservations for non-essential travel, unless the reservation is for at least the minimum period required for quarantine (10 days) and the persons identified in the reservation will quarantine in the hotel or lodging entity until after that time period has expired”.

 

I have read that by law (right to privacy?) that if you tell a hotel you are an ‘essential worker', they are not allowed to ask you for proof, so…

Whew, thanks man, what a kick in the shorts.... I just had my flights effectively cancelled today also as the Taiwan govt has shut down the Airport in Taipei, which I transit through to ALL foreign arrivals and transit passengers (me).

 

<deleted> I'm tired of all this s**t !

[Mai mee]

Looked at the whole hotel thing, and I think I can crack it... Because clearly I'm "essential"... big thanks for the heads-up!

[SEAsia Traveler]

Just got this email from Korean Air. Not that it matters much to those transiting to Thailand who will already have the test.

 

 

 

 

[soidog2]

Same day RT-PCR tests are available in the US, expensive, $ 350 to $ 450 results in a few hours.

24 Hour RT-PCR tests also available, much cheaper, $120 - $ 150 or covered by insurance.

In the 48-72 hour category, you are competing with the general population for free tests, not a good idea.

 

The easiest way to obtain a fit to fly certificate is to do an "on line consultation" with 15-20 min emailed (to you) certificate.

 

All easy to find on Google.

[Suphawk]

1 hour ago, soidog2 said:

Same day RT-PCR tests are available in the US

Maybe available in your area , but not easy to find where I live in the US. It's a big place the US

[soidog2]

1 hour ago, Suphawk said:

Maybe available in your area , but not easy to find where I live in the US. It's a big place the US

What state are you in?

[jimmi]

Mai Mee, How did you book your EVA AIR BR11 flight?  Did you book directly with EVA Air, or can it be booked thru other sites like Orbitz?  I'm not sure if you have to use a authorized agent from the Thai Embasy.

 

[Mai mee]

1 hour ago, jimmi said:

Mai Mee, How did you book your EVA AIR BR11 flight?  Did you book directly with EVA Air, or can it be booked thru other sites like Orbitz?  I'm not sure if you have to use a authorized agent from the Thai Embasy.

 

EVA Air is out! I have had to rebook on Singapore airlines because all of EVA Air's transpacific flights go through Taipei, Taiwan (airport code TPE) and TPE has been closed to transit passengers. The Eva air flights from US to BKK are dead for the time being and will not get you to Bangkok.

 

I know you can get from LAX to BKK on QATAR and Singapore air currently, and I think Korean Air and some others as well. FWIW i did and do try to book air travel directly with the airlines, because if you have an issue or need a change or whatever, and you go to the airline... If you didn't book it through them they'll tell you to take your problems to whatever agency you bought your tickets from. That seems to be the new normal.

[soidog2]

This place does Thai repatriation flights from the US:

https://www.ihanatour.com/thai/update_arr_date_new/1/non-th

 

I flew on Cathay via HK, long layover in HK, no fun.

 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by soidog2

[Luckyman999]

Every International Airport in Germany offer a "On Side PCR" test which normally give you a result in less than 10 hours. For 95% of cases the result of the test is guaranteed in 24 hours. Here the webpage:

https://www.centogene.com/covid-19/test-centers/duesseldorf-airport.html

 

Maybe a good idea to expand the german service to other countries ...

[srowndedbyh2o]

12 hours ago, Luckyman999 said:

Maybe a good idea to expand the german service to other countries ...

“Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) now offers guests rapid COVID-19 tests with results in 3-5 hours across from Terminal 6, as well as providing a convenient 24-hour turnaround option at two in-terminal locations”.

All locations provide a standard PCR test (nasal-swab Polymerase Chain Reaction) for $125. Results of tests taken at the laboratory location are returned electronically in 3-5 hours or within 24 hours for tests collected at the in-terminal locations”.

Primary Lab at Terminal 6

This lab is located on the Lower/Arrivals level. Guests can access the facility by vehicle drop-off along the outer arrivals curb at Terminal 6, or by walking from any of the parking structures. For pedestrians coming from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 a shorter path to the testing site is possible along East Way, Theme Way and West Way.

Satellite Lab at Terminal 2
Lower/Arrivals Level baggage claim area

Satellite Lab at Tom Bradley International Terminal
Upper/Departures level at the check-in counters located in Aisle C, along the north side of the terminal.

https://www.flylax.com/travelsafely#CovidTest

[Issanman]

Go to Google and type in "Rt-pcr test near me" and you may be surprised.

My results showed me the closest lab was only 5 minutes away. 

 

 

[Mai mee]

sroundedbyh2o, Yer a lifesaver again, 5???????????????????? stars to you... a 3-5 hr PCR test as soon as I get off my inbound flight, at LAX, brilliant!

 

That, in combination with a cheap(ish) FTF by video chat makes the final 72 hrs circus almost a walk in the park. You've done it again my man!

 

Now all I have to do is secure a LA hotel booking. I'm planning to declare myself essential, and going for work if they ask...

[jimmi]

Mai mee,

If they return the RT-PCR test electronicly (email) at LAX, how are you going to get it printed out?  Do hotels in the L.A. area have computers with printers you can use?  I am starting my research to go back.  This would be a problem for me as I do not have my laptop with me, just me fire tablet.  It is great news though that LAX is offering the tests.

[srowndedbyh2o]

5 hours ago, jimmi said:

Mai mee,

If they return the RT-PCR test electronicly (email) at LAX, how are you going to get it printed out?  Do hotels in the L.A. area have computers with printers you can use?  I am starting my research to go back.  This would be a problem for me as I do not have my laptop with me, just me fire tablet.  It is great news though that LAX is offering the tests.

I have no idea how a “fire tablet” works, but if you have a cell phone that you can receive email on, you should be able to print from that. Many hotels have a “business center” that you can use to print out documents.