TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin New US Testing Requirements Begin 12/6

According to the Washington Post, beginning December 6th travelers to the US will be required to show proof of negative test performed within 1 day of departure. This new requirement will apply to all travelers including US citizens and permanent residents returning to the US. The requirement will apply to all travelers without regard to vaccination status.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/02/covid-omicron-variant-live-updates

Good news that it's now official and not just talk. Now people can plan ahead.

Update with link to CDC announcement https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p1203-covid-testing-tightens-intl.html

I just sent an email to Medwork to ask them if, due to these new testing requirements, whether they will begin testing on Sundays, to accommodate those returning to the US on Monday. I will post if/when I receive a response.

Everyone, please know that I used this in November to return to the US.

https://store.optum.com//shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-2-pack

These can be taken on a Sunday. You just need internet and camera for the monitored test.

we are very computer literate, but I am a little leery of doing that self-test deal, afraid I will screw it up.

Lol.. Carol, it is SO EASY! We have done several.

They walk you through the whole thing.

OK..

TEST FROM HOME AT EMED.COM
After you receive your test, visit eMed.com/app/start-testing to begin your virtual visit. An eMed Certified Guide will join you in a video visit to guide you through the testing process. Collecting a sample is an easy and gentle process, no different than using a cotton swab to clean the inside of your nose. See technical requirements for more details.
GETS RESULTS IN 15 MINUTES
Test results will be made available to you right away from within the NAVICA app. When you receive your result, you will also receive a secure digital certificate in the NAVICA app. This certificate allows you to use your smartphone to store, display, and share your test results where applicable. You can also print from the email sent to you.

IMO, doing it in our room before we go out for the day is so easy. No appointments, no waiting, no other people around! Plus, $69 for two people is a bargain.

https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-2-pack

I bought a 2-pack from Optum in October to use as back-up if the free tests we had scheduled at Walgreen's did not work out. My thought was that I could then use them to come home in February. The problem is that the tests I received were assembled last December and, even with the FDA extension of the expiration date to 1 year, will expire prior to February.

Yeah, for people with long stays (or who order too far in advance) it may not be the answer.

As they state: “ Currently available test kits may expire as early as February 3, 2022. Please allow up to three business days for delivery. Ships via expedited service within the U.S. only. May not be purchased with other items.“

Sounds like this might now be the way to go for the return.....kinda weird that if I ordered a pack of tests they would only be good until February

arriving on the island tomorrow and may be using this test. Question I have is, two tests need to be taken 3 days apart so final test on Friday before departure, but once test is started, how long until results are downloaded to the Navica app??

Hi, I'm a little confused about why you are taking two tests 3 days apart? Has SXM entry changed?

US re-entry is within 24 of return.

The results are in the Navica app and emailed to you within 5-10 minutes are your test result.

Because of the large supply that they had. Then more batches will be produced.

WiFi issues at our villa notwithstanding, this was dead easy. Download the app create a profile for each person being tested. The person proctoring the test via video call walks you through the test. It's really hard to mess up. Whole process took less than 30 minutes from start of test to receipt of results.

Hopefully you have the eMed version of the test.

The Abbott BinaxNow test comes in two versions.

There is the version that you can buy at Walmart and CVS which has two tests per box, which you take three days apart. The Walmart/CVS version is not good for reentry to the US.

There is a second version. The eMed version, is valid for reentry to the US. As far as I know, the eMed kit can only be bought online. Some buy from eMed, others from Optum. The eMed version is a proctored test, where you connect up to the eMed website and a proctor will lead you through the process. The eMed version contains only one test per box, which you will use the day prior to your return to the US.

Results are available in the Navica app almost immediately, and you should receive an email from eMed shortly after.

Newly manufactured BinaxNow test kits are rapidly entering the market on a daily basis. Abbot labs has scaled manufacturing and is producing more than 10 million tests per month and continuing to increase capacity. The US government placed an order for 180 million test kits and Colleges, professional sports, school districts and private business have a need for more than additional 100 million.

The original test kits had a shelf life of 6 months, that has been extended to one year by the FDA and is retroactive to existing tests.

The best value per price is through eMed, you get 6 tests for $150 and about $15 for overnight shipping. For the 2 of us on our most recent trip, we took 3 tests with us in case a test was corrupted or showed a positive result, that way we could retest immediately.

Just wondering if anyone has recently ordered the BinaxNow 2-pack from Optum and if so, what is the expiration date. The website says they may expire as early as February 3rd and I would like to use one at the end of February. Thanks

We received ours about three weeks ago and that was the expiration date. Shipping was pretty fast, so you could always wait until the beginning of February to order. I’d assume the expiration date would be further out by then. On that note, unless you’re absolutely sure nothing will change with your travel plans, waiting makes sense. We seriously considered postponing until May after we received the tests. Had we done that, it would have most likely been wasted money for the tests since they are set to expire in February.

Before you toss them in the trash, you might want to check that the BinaxNow test expiration has been extended either 3 or 6 months. This is lot number dependent. Best to check the Abbott website or call customer service as they would be able to reference lot numbers easier.

The ones I purchased in October were already past the original expiration date when I received them. The extended date has now passed but I will hold on to them in case I want to use them (without telemed) for my personal use.

I leave January 1st and wanted to use one on February 23rd to return home. I will probably wait another week and give it another try.

we ordered a 2-pack from Optum ($69.99) on Dec 6 and received on Dec 9...original expiration date shown on the box is 11/13/21, but a sticker has been added saying expiration date has been extended by 3 months, so expiration should now be Feb 13