TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Potential CDC Changes for Testing - International Air Arrivals

MSM reporting this morning that the CDC is readying to change the testing window for international air arrivals to 24 hours. Suggest that everyone with travel plans keep an eye on this.

The announcement is supposed to come out tomorrow, I believe

Glad I am ferrying back to USVI - although who knows when their protocols may change……

Get those eMed.com tests on order!

Thanks for the update...

Question about those: we enrolled on line and they sent us the kits. Is there something else we need to do before we leave? We're booked at a clinic here for rapid tests, so these are for returning from BVI in January.

I would load the Navica app on your phones. Some people have reported issues accessing from here. I had no problem with my US phone but others say they have.

Thanks, Jason.

MIDiver, mind sharing the source for that? What is MSM? Our friends are still on the boat in the BVI. I'd like to send the article to them.

Hasn't been formally announced yet but will probably be this week.

CNN just announced there are changes coming as well. Tightening entry testing to one day for international air arrivals sounds imminent.

An omicron case has been detected in California. Here is an article that describes the potential change to testing requirements.

Expect to see it as a formal requirement this week.

Thanks guys. What a time to be alive…

Download the app before leaving home. We had one in our party that didn't, and he had significant trouble downloading the app on WiFi at scrub.

None of the rest of our party of 7 had ANY issue connecting, completing the tests, or receiving our results.

I think you do not need any tests to travel from STT to USA mainland as this is the same as state to state

You don’t. But you need to have a negative test to get to STT from the BVI.

Is the Wifi bad at Scrub? That is where we are spending our last 2 days so will need to emed there...

So you could still get tested in BVI (within 5 days if traveling via ferry) enter St. Thomas and then no test to get into the U.S. It seems that in this case the change will not have any impact.

They asked Fauci at a press conference this afternoon. The questioner had heard they were discussing a 24 hr test before departure from a foreign country, testing within 3 days of arrival in US and a 7 day quarantine regardless of vaccination status. That would kill all foreign travel and I think would be Terrible overkill. Fauci did not commit to any decisions. They said Biden will talk about it tomorrow.

I’d bet the new testing regime goes into effect. The 7 day quarantine on arrival is totally Australia like move and will ruin foreign travel. So done with this.

Didn't they technically try the quarantine on arrival thing once before and it was impossible to enforce? If I land in JFK after my BVI trip and travel the 100 miles north to home-who the heck is going to be checking that I am staying put for 7 days? That would be stupid to implement and impossible to follow through with. Been waiting 2 years to get back and now 3 weeks out this is happening. Ditto on the "so done with this!"

I don't think it was a WiFi issue, as none of the rest of us had any problem *using* the app, including it's video features. He had trouble downloading the app and making it work from there. Those of us who had downloaded the app prior to leaving home had no problems completing the testing

I always travel with a laptop due to work requirements - it is far easier from a laptop.

Some websites and even specific content from the US are blocked here so sometimes there is an app or a Netflix show that is available in the US but not available here. I had no issue downloading the app over my home connection here but others have had trouble based on how their internet connection is routed.

Honestly, I didn't need the app for anything. It's a way to review your results, but the lab report you need comes via email anyway. And the test is done from their website not the phone app.

We did our testing on laptops and ipads. I think it would be difficult on a phone, but I'm sure its been done.

Thanks...always have my laptop (unfortunately) so am good there

At least one of our crew last trip did the eMed test on his phone - worked out fine

A few questions on the Emed tests....
We are a family of 4 planning on using the tests to get into the USVI, BVI and then back into the USVI via ferry. I just went to order the kits and they are limiting it to only one kit per order. I was only able to enter 3 out of the 4 names into the system. Why would a 6 pack only seem to be enough for 3 people? Do you need to use 2 per person or do they really think each person will screw up?
Will they allow me to come back and order another 6 pack in a week or so?
I think I will need at least the 2 orders of 6 packs for all the testing for our family.
Lastly, they seem to be temperature senstiive. Are we all taking these in our carry-ons then?
Thank you!

I'm sure they are limiting the order quantity due to high demand. I only waited 1 day before placing another order and didn't have a problem. I shipped mine to the BVI so I'm sure they were not temperature controlled but if you have room in your carry-on do that.

Don't worry about the names you entered. I only entered my name and 6 different people used them. Everyone needs their own account to login for the test but it's not linked back to the order.

Thank you Jason!

CNN reports the 24 hr rule takes effect Monday.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/02/politics/testing-requirement-international-travel-us/index.html

All flights departing after 12:01 a.m. ET December 6 will abide by a new CDC testing order, per an administration official.

Repeat question but wanting most current requirements. We are flying from the states to St Thomas on the 5th. I assume the 5 day testing is still valid to enter St Thomas?
Taking the ferry to Road Town, a 48 hour requirement on testing for fully vaticinated people is now required?
Returning to St Thomas by ferry, a 2 day testis now needed or is the 5 day requirement still accepted?
Just wanting to be sure I have the most current requitements as to the time frame necessary for all 3 sets of travel.

We are trying to get clarification right now on the return via ferry testing requirement as we travel back 12/7. I don’t want to waste eMed tests. Charter company is advising to wait until Monday to test in case things change.

- the 5 day testing is still valid to enter St Thomas - so far this is correct, but don't be surprised if it changes next week when USVI does it's weekly update
- Taking the ferry to Road Town, a 48 hour requirement - 5 days is required, but if you can bring a 2 day old test it eliminates the need to test at the ferry dock
- Returning to St Thomas by ferry - 5 days so far but I'd anticipate changes