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Reasonable Antigen testing

Posted By: CanadianCutie

Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/11/2021 01:06 AM

My sister and her family are travelling to SXM for American Thanksgiving and will need to antigen test to re enter the US. I have seen Med Works but when paying for 5 tests, it adds up pretty quick. Is there any other labs that are a little more inexpensive but still reliable?
Posted By: jazzgal

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/11/2021 01:32 AM

I brought a BinaxNow test with me and plan to take the proctored test. They may not have time to get them before coming, but I paid $69.99 for two tests.
Posted By: BenP

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/11/2021 02:23 AM

Try https://www.emed.com/products/covid-at-home-testkit-six-pack?hsLang=en

They have the 6 packs of the BinaxNow kits in stock for $150.

I ordered mine on Monday and tracking shows them being delivered tomorrow.

Cheers!
Posted By: CanadianCutie

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/11/2021 02:49 AM

Thanks everyone! I will forward my sister the info!
Posted By: Bahston

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/11/2021 11:56 PM

The testing for 5 people using emed could take awhile. Figure 20-25 minutes per test, times 5 people. If you've got multiple iphone/ipad/Android devices you could do more than one at a time, wi-fi strength permitting.
Posted By: dvesc

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/12/2021 12:04 AM

What’s the shipping charge for the eMed tests? Some of the other sites that offer smaller packs offer free shipping. It’s more per test when buying the smaller packs, but that may be offset if eMed charges high shipping.
Posted By: bdeeley

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/12/2021 03:23 AM

$16.50 for priority overnight.
Posted By: dvesc

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/12/2021 10:15 AM

Thank you. Do you know if they have cheaper shipping options that just take longer? We don’t travel for a month, so there’s no rush.
Posted By: bdeeley

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/12/2021 11:46 AM

I've only ever seen the priority overnight(FedEx) option for the last year from Emed. With the cost of the tests plus shipping, that works out to be $27.75 per test, I don't think you will find cheaper. And, its not like you aren't receiving value for the shipping, they really are shipping FedEx overnight, so it's not a money making charge for them.
Posted By: boucharda

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/12/2021 12:01 PM

I don't know if I would trust shipping any time sensitive product from SXM to the USA. I would just pay the $50 and get the results the same day and remove one worry about the trip...or....do the Binax Now proctored test in my room

Obviously leaving the USA would not be an issue because no test needed if vac'ed
Posted By: dvesc

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/12/2021 05:19 PM

There are only three of us traveling, so I'm just weighing the options of buying six from eMed or the smaller packs from one of the other providers. It's really a difference of a few dollars either way, so I probably shouldn't be putting so much thought into it. I suppose it's better to have too many rather than not enough if something goes wrong with one.
Posted By: bdeeley

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/12/2021 06:49 PM

You do always stand the chance that a kit could be compromised, we are on the island right now and brought 3 tests for the two of us. I want an immediate option if one test failed.
Posted By: dvesc

Re: Reasonable Antigen testing - 11/13/2021 11:08 AM

I think we may just buy two 2-packs so we'll have one extra.

I actually contacted eMed yesterday to ask if we could use one of the cheaper BinaxNow Self Tests we bought in the grocery store in the event there was a problem with our eMed Home Test during the middle of the video monitoring. My understanding is the tests are actually the same, and you're just paying extra for the person to watch you do it. Regardless, the eMed representative said that wouldn't be acceptable. Here's the response:

In order for you to be able to complete a test, you will always need to use every single item from the Home Test. Should there be an issue, what you can do is replace an item of a Home Test with that of another Home Test but not with a Self Test.
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