TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Beware Walgreens test on the weekend!

Hope it’s resolved. But if not Google AFC Urgent Care for your area. They are a pretty much nation wide walk in urgent care. They do antigen COVID testing. Walk in or by appointment.

Sorry you are going through this Carol. I agree with everything Garymoe said. We're 20 year visitors to the island and will not return until fully vaccinated travelers can travel without testing. Searching for someplace else this Summer.
Good luck with everything!

Carol, I'm sorry to hear that you are having issues with testing. It definitely sucks. This whole thing sucks! Going on vacation is not supposed to be this stressful. Good luck and I hope you get your results soon.

At home tests are not accepted by Sint Maarten

Carol, so sorry about your experience.

For what it is worth, on Saturday May 29, I scheduled our appointments for COVID PCR tests at a nearby CVS in Henrico County Virginia (think RIchmond). They schedule one test every ten minutes online So, the wife was 12:10 pm and I was 12:20 pm on Thursday June 3, which was just within the 120 hours before our flight from CLT to SXM on the morning of June 8 - today. We took the tests at the same time at the CVS drive through window under supervision of a NP. She asked if it was for travel and we said yes - they said it would cost nothing if you have insurance and we just gave them our Medicare information - no charge. We received the negative test results by email at 1:48 pm on Friday June 4. I immediately submitted everything to EHAS (using each of our email addresses for each submission). We received the preapproval by email at 3:41 pm that Friday.

We also received our two Moderna shots at CVS and they had a very good operation.

At the airport today we just handed the health person in his booth our passports, negative results from the CVS test, and the pre-approval. Although I had paperwork on my phone as backup, I printed everything out and used the paper copies. Staying at Divi three nights and then moving over to one of Cecile's rooms at Palm Court. She does not think we need to test or retest to stay on french-side after getting OK from EHAS and staying on dutch-side three nights. If we had come directly to french-side to stay, she thought we should do the test within the 72 hours that the Collectivitie is stating.

For us, it was really very simple in practice - but still rather stressful for us until we had the green stamps on our papers.

Glad you had a much better experience than we did. As of now, I'M GOING.. Eric, we don't know yet...

OK, just got Eric's approval, hour and a half after mine

Wow, this is too much stress, just to go on vacation..

Wonderful News! Hope your vacation is uneventful, stress free and very enjoyable. Safe Travels.

Glad to hear you are all set! As you may recall from my post in April, we got both PCR and antigen tests prior to travel. Good thing we did, because my wife’s antigen test was rejected by SXM as not FDA approved. NOT good for the stress levels.

thanks..

yay!!! Have fun!!

We went to Aruba this year instead of SXM. Flew out on a Wednesday morning and on Sunday afternoon was tested at Walgreens RED Dot Now test results in one hour. Didn't cost us anything. Prior to this test, I had found a clinic that offered the test for $180. I contacted my insurance company and they said it was reimbursable. For our return trip to the states, we received a receipt for the two tests and I forwarded to our insurance for reimbursement which I have received payment in full. All of this was stressful, but in the end worthwhile.

Just curious. Did you ever get the Walgreens results? If the eventually come please post. Glad you're all set.

The Walgreens test came back after we had already got the other test and gotten approved...

I figured it woiuld. At least you're good to go. Safe travels.

We were just afraid to take the chance, considering they had seriously let us down already.

Thanks.

The important thing is you are good to go and covid negative.

Yes, for sure.

Have a great trip! The difficulties getting there will only make it all the more enjoyable.

Yes, it will be so great to take that first big breath of the Caribbean air!

Yay! Have a wonderful trip!!

Looks like the weather is getting better right after you get there. Enjoy.

the simpsons--thanks.

Scubaman--haven't even looked at the weather. I TRY to worry only about things I can control.

The previous 62 posts under this topic heading are precisely why my return to St. Maarten will not be until this 'overkill' of testing has been officially halted on the island. Talk about jumping' through hoops! Hopefully, the U.S. will also end this requirement for those who a fully vaccinated.

This response was to SammyM

We almost made the same decision for the same reason, but are glad we did not. Judging from many of your posts, I feel certain that you could get everything done for entry and wind up on the island. But I understand if you just do not want to deal with it.

BINGO!!! We have another winner! And drop the foolish money-grabbing MANDATORY insurance that (it appears at least) NOBODY has used!

I am so sorry for your stress, Carol. This just sucks. I found an AFC/urgent care open on Memorial Day (which was my stressor). Is that's what's an hour away from you. Again, so sorry.

Linda--it's behind us now, and hopefully no issues tomorrow!!

Yes, just couldn't wait to get back and will have another go in Nov/Dec but will not go though any pre-testing, stress, extra insurance and doing the same returning. A Vacation is meant to be stress free and a build up of excitement before and during...coming home, well, that's another story but we usually look forward to that as well. For those already there and on the way, sure it all works out and makes up for all the nonsense. Funny thing is, went to our place in Florida and ended up buying another condo which sometimes is far more stress(and expense) than any vacation.

Hey bran if that condo is on the beach, would be happy to occupy it for you for a week or two, just to not have it empty!!

In the meantime, I am very happy to be headed to SXM in the morning!!!

Hope you have a safe and once there Carol, a fabulous time and it will all be worth it. Envious in one way but happy for you. enjoy.

Longboat Key. Complete in a month or so.

Thanks very much bran.

Oh, building a place on the ocean?? You are a lot braver than I am!! Hope it is great!

Hope your flight goes as schedualed today. Enjoy your time in SXM.

Carol - hope you had a safe flight. Have a fantastic time!