72 Hour COVID-19 RT-PCR test

mentaloriental

SBH Member
If anyone recently has any experience they want to share about receiving their RT-PCR Covid-19, please do so as there are many wary people out there that are concerned that they won't get their test results on time.

Someone mentioned a self test at CVS (also WIMCO site makes a reference to), which at this moment on their website states "Due to high demand, please allow 6-10 days for results. In some instances, our lab partners may take even longer to return results."

Even the governor here in NY stated a week or so ago that capacity at the labs that receive the swab samples are backed up in some instances due to the virus surging in other states. However there are some labs that don't process out of state samples so theoretically it can be possible to receive the result on time.

This 72 hour window is probably one of the more nerve wracking new aspects of travel, though again I can understand why.

Some reassurance would be great news for many!
 
i just asked WIMCO (about 2 hrs ago) if they had any "magic solutions" to the very questioned that you posted....our local doctor/hospital is stating that it will probably take 7-10 days from the time of the test to receiving actual results....so meeting the 72 hour requirement (using reasonable testing avenues) is just about impossible at this point..
 
We had our Covid-19, RT-PCR (swab up the nostrils type) test Wednesday the 5th at 4:45pm and got our results Thursday the 6th at 2am.
 
Thanks Amyb, god willing our family will be on the island tomorrow. First time for my two young sons.
 
We just flew Tuesday Houston to Madrid, we got tested on Monday both negative . in Houston you get the results back in 30 minutes, we went to Signature Emergency Health Care. It is not required to get tested before travel to Spain but we did it in case anyone had questions.
 
We are planning to fly from San Juan to St Barths on a 2:20pm Friday Tradewinds flight in late August. Our plan is to take the Vault COVID-19 test (https://www.vaulthealth.com/covid). It's a $150 take at home FDA approved saliva test (RT-qPCR results) taken under the supervision of a doctor via a Zoom chat with a doctor. We plan on taking the test shortly after 2:20pm on Tuesday and immediately take the test to a UPS Customer Center (UPS distribution hub) in either Philadelphia (at the International Airport) or New York (601 W 43nd Street). The test price includes a UPS next day air package, and it should arrive at the Piscataway, New Jersey lab (Rutgers) the next day. (I also checked with the lab and customers can not drop off the test in person, only via UPS or FedEx). We then cross our fingers and hope to get a negative result by e-mail in time for the flight. (Math quiz: Two percent of the tests are not conclusive, so for two travelers probability of at least one non-conlusive event the risk is 3.96% )

If this all works, there is a 100% chance that St Barths rose inventory will be down by one bottle by end of Friday dinner.
 
In South Florida there are a number of private labs that for $129 per test will give you results back in 24hrs. They do not accept health insurance.
 
Thank you both for sharing your positive experiences. Wishing you safe travels and have lots of fun. I'm sure your two young sons are going to have the time of their life!
 
We are planning to fly from San Juan to St Barths on a 2:20pm Friday Tradewinds flight in late August. Our plan is to take the Vault COVID-19 test (https://www.vaulthealth.com/covid). It's a $150 take at home FDA approved saliva test (RT-qPCR results) taken under the supervision of a doctor via a Zoom chat with a doctor. We plan on taking the test shortly after 2:20pm on Tuesday and immediately take the test to a UPS Customer Center (UPS distribution hub) in either Philadelphia (at the International Airport) or New York (601 W 43nd Street). The test price includes a UPS next day air package, and it should arrive at the Piscataway, New Jersey lab (Rutgers) the next day. (I also checked with the lab and customers can not drop off the test in person, only via UPS or FedEx). We then cross our fingers and hope to get a negative result by e-mail in time for the flight. (Math quiz: Two percent of the tests are not conclusive, so for two travelers probability of at least one non-conlusive event the risk is 3.96% )

If this all works, there is a 100% chance that St Barths rose inventory will be down by one bottle by end of Friday dinner.

I’m unable to open the link to the “vault” test, but I’d like to help you by explaining that, in my experience in recently traveling to SBH, the type of test required for entry is the “PCR” test (swab of nostrils). Good luck!
 
Google Vault Covid-19 test and you should find the information. The test finding will be PCR. This test is the only FDA saliva approved test. Lab results 24-48 hours once received at lab. Most of the labs in the mid-Atlantic states require symptoms and results window are often greater than 3 days. I will post the success or failure of this approach in a few weeks.
 
We are in route to St Martin and now we have been delayed in Charlotte. We have the entry acceptance email from st martin. Will they continue to accept our covid test though? The delay puts us over the 72 hour period.
 
We are in route to St Martin and now we have been delayed in Charlotte. We have the entry acceptance email from st martin. Will they continue to accept our covid test though? The delay puts us over the 72 hour period.

Gee KZ, that's a stressful situation. I don't have an answer but I sincerely hope you have a compassionate border agent. I say you will get through! Please let us know how it's going.
 
You're OK in SXM as long as the test and results are within 72 hours of the departure time of your last leg. My guess is that worst case, you'll be required to get retested in the SXM airport for $125 each.
 
I’m unable to open the link to the “vault” test, but I’d like to help you by explaining that, in my experience in recently traveling to SBH, the type of test required for entry is the “PCR” test (swab of nostrils). Good luck!

Vault is one of the startups that associated with the Rutgers lab that received FDA emergency use authorization for a PCR "spit test" in May (noted 5/8 in a forum thread). Vitagene and hims&hers did similarly. Rutgers has since received about $45 million for spin-out of the lab and a new company, that remains affiliated with the university, was created. I believe that these startups continue to offer the test with processing by the Rutgers-affiliated company. Another startup, received an EUA for processing a PCR "spit test" independently - they may still be doing this but their road has been somewhat rocky.

If planning to spit in a tube to gain entry to St Barth, it is worth verifying the type of test being done - an antigen "spit test" that is also available under an EUA would not meet the requirement for a PCR test.

I have not reviewed the St Barth/French requirements sufficiently to be certain that a PCR test based on saliva rather than nasal swab is accepted.
 
Here is the COVID information from the official French web site, it notes that RT-PCR can be both nasal and saliva. The collect method is different, but both analyze a persons RNA. I will keep the RT-PCR Wiki article on my cell phone, in case I get Bill Nye the Science guy as a Customs Agent.




  1. https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus
  2. Virological tests (RT-PCR) are used to determine whether a person is a carrier of the virus at the time of the test by means of a nasal or salivary sample. The result is usually available within 24 hours. Thanks to a significant increase in testing capacity, it is currently possible to perform up to 700,000 tests each week across the country.
  3. Serological tests are used to find out if a person has developed an immune reaction after coming into contact with the virus. These tests detect the presence of antibodies through a blood test. Reliable serological tests appear on an online list on the website of the Ministry of Solidarity and Health and they are reimbursed by social security when they fall within the framework of the indications defined by the Haute Autorité de Santé.

Specific rules apply to the French Overseas Territories.

Health checks upon entry into the French Overseas Territories are adapted for each territory :
  • Travellers to Guadeloupe, Martinique, La Réunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are required to carry out an adapted 14-day quarantine, including an RT-PCR test on the 7th day if they returned a negative PT-PCR test in the 48-72 hours after their flight. Travellers who did not undergo a RT-PCR test upon departure will be subject to strict 14-day quarantine measures.
  • Entry into French Guiana and Mayotte is only allowed for emergency family or work reasons, given that the virus is still actively circulating in these territories. Travellers arriving in these territories will be subject to strict 14-day quarantine measures.
For information on travel from foreign countries to the Overseas Territories, visit the website of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
 
We aren't going until February but I am already having anxiety over this 72 hour test. My doctor had a 24 hour turnaround time when we booked this trip but now due to the national back log they are at 5-7 days for results. I know a lot can change by February and hopefully it does for the positive.
Good luck to all the upcoming travelers. Please report back.

On a side night we returned last night from St John, USVI. Travel was easy breazy. We live in NY and are one of the very few states that did not require a negative test. We flew through San Juan which I was very leery of (we never do layovers) but everything was smooth and easy. The island was quite busy for August. They had very similar protocols that we have in NY. No sitting at the bar, masks required, restaurants at a lower capacity. I am happy that we went as we had a wonderful time.
 
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