TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico Help Identifying Certified Lab (CLIA)

Probably user error but I’m struggling using the lookup tool locate a certified lab to use to upload to the portal. Any tips and tricks anyone can offer?

I had trouble with this as well. I used LabCorp and they are almost everywhere, including in hospitals and clinics. CVS, I believe, sends their swabs/blood draws to a CLIA lab as well. It's very hard to find the CLIA certificate online to verify, but you can use the CDC website to search:

https://www.cdc.gov/clia/LabSearch.html

Good luck

When I had a COVID PCR test done at CVS (Northern Virginia) it was sent to a LabCorp lab for processing.

If I get tested at a cvs, should I assume they are using a certified lab? Do I need to inquire who processes the results and confirm? Will this be validated on the USVI side? I’m getting nervous about this tight 3 day window. Not a lot of room for a hiccup.

I see you're posting from Dallas. There are multiple office bldgs with LabCorp offices and appts throughout town. Or use CVS: I haven't heard anybody being rejected that used a result from them.

Remember you have 5 days, counting departure day as day zero, not the 3 days the airlines are posting. Go to the USVI travel portal ASAP and familiarize yourself with the countdown for your test.

Anyway, the LabCorp website will let you select your appointment time. If you go to Medical City like I did, be advised that they don't do the swab, they do a blood draw testing for antibodies. You will have to have had the vaccine or recovered successfully from Covid to test positive for the antibodies.

I made the appt a full week before day 5, and I was first up @8:00, bldg "A". My test results were back in about 30 hours and I immediately uploaded them through the USVI portal. They gave me the "green square of acceptance" right at 24 hours.

I was tested on Friday, had the results on Saturday, was green lighted Sunday.

You will get emails from testing, reporting and then through the USVI portal.

BTW, I leave tomorrow for STT from DFW, will be there until July 30th.

Thanks, I’m familiar with portal. What threw me was the verification it needed to be from a certified lab, then the link to the lookup wasn’t helpful. When I searched CVS it said “waiver” under certification type. It all seemed pretty confusing. I’m going to test for antibodies since I’m vaccinated but am now reading the tests don’t normally pick up antibodies from the vaccination.

Safe travels! Wish I were heading out!

Antibody tests certainly do detect Antibodies from the vaccination.

Just a little confusing when CVS has this on their web site.

COVID-19 Antibody Testing
Rapid result test offered as a cash pay service. Use the locator below to find locations offering this service.

MinuteClinic® providers are trained to perform COVID-19 antibody testing to assess for previous exposure to COVID-19. An antibody test can detect antibodies that developed as a result of exposure to COVID-19. Your MinuteClinic practitioner will perform the antibody test and review your results with you.

It is important to remember that COVID-19 antibody testing should not be used to determine or validate the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine

... looks like there might be different antibody test needed to detect vaccine generated antibodies vs covid virus generated antibodies

The antibody test they run with a blood donation also mentions it will not detect antibodies from the vaccination. Sure enough, my antibody test came back negative.

Then there’s this:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/covid-antibody-test-after-vaccine

Conversely, a lack of antibodies detected does not mean that a vaccinated person did not have a protective immune response. The COVID-19 vaccine trains immune cells to notice and attack the signature spike protein. Antibody tests may look for different antibodies that are only produced after natural infection. “Therefore, COVID-19 vaccinated people who have not had previous natural infection will receive a negative antibody test result if the antibody test does not detect the antibodies induced by the COVID-19 vaccine,” according to the FDA.

The way a vaccine works is by stimulating the production of antibodies to the antigen (virus proteins in this case). If it does not do that, it is not effective.

My wife and myself used the CVS antibody test with positive results for travel to USVI from US and from BVI. We are both fully vaccinated and have never had Covid-19 to our knowledge. The CVS tests for igg and igm antibodies which is what the USVI requires.

[/quote]
My wife and myself used the CVS antibody test with positive results for travel to USVI from US and from BVI. We are both fully vaccinated and have never had Covid-19 to our knowledge. The CVS tests for igg and igm antibodies which is what the USVI requires.[/quote]

Sweet, I’m giving it a try Saturday.

My family had both Moderna shots, 6 weeks later CVS tests documented positive for IgG antibodies. FYI....my mother inlaw had the J&J vaccine 2 months ago, a test this week showed NO antibodies, she is scheduled for another vaccine now.

Update! I tested positive for antibodies, woot! And at a CLIA certified lab, double woot!