TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin naso-pharyngeal swab test for Covid 19

Isn't taking the test on Monday cutting it very close for a Saturday departure?

I have heard that the labs here are no longer giving the Deep nasal testing, it is the same, just not as deep.
The people who had both went to the same lab that they had their first Deep Nasal done.

People are also talking about tests being accepted that they have ordered, from labs, and do themselves.

Very confusing.

No. Monday is the ealiest you can do with that 120hr window.

I just called CVS minute clinic, so here's a data point for the board members. I was told 2-3 days turnaround time is calendar day, not business day. But the agent said it would take longer to 6-10 days given the holiday season is approaching and the surging covid cases. I'm not sure if I can still go if that's the case.

bc007 ... do you know if the CVS minute clinic require symptoms to get tested?

I need to find something in the Charlottesville, VA area to have a test done for travel.

When you try to schedule an appointment with them online, there is a question asking if you suspect you have been exposed to Covid (not the exact words). If you select that, you will be qualified to get tested even if you don't have a sympton.

There is a Patient First in Richmond, a little over an hour away from Charlottesville, that offers Covid testing without a referral but it is by appointment only. We used Patient First for our tests, it is RT-PCR and turnaround time was 2 days.

In case this helps anyone: According to the SXM site the 120 Hours is prior to the "DATE" of arrival, not arrival time or departure time. I emailed the tourism bureau because my 120 hours would be on a Saturday afternoon when clinics were closed. They confirmed that anytime 5 days prior works. Of course I will be printing off that email to take with me just in case

As I recall it states no more than120hr prior to your last departure flight to SXM.

Right from the “Electronic Health Authorization System” the following is the exact wording.

“performed within 120 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights)”

I would follow the published rules, but that’s just me.