TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Going to be harder getting those tests

New CDC guidelines.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/me...-not-need-testing/ar-BB18mUoD?li=BBnb7Kz

Perhaps it has something to do with all the wrong test results, both positive and negative, and things are easing up. What happened with several NFL teams a few days ago is a good example.

STUPID, puzzling change to guidelines. Testing is PARAMOUNT to getting this thing under control.

Just wait. CDC will backtrack and change it again.

They have proven to be good at flip-flopping.

One would HOPE so. That was a stupid, stupid change.

Just going to make it harder to get that test for travel.

This even makes it a more bizarre change:



So I guess there is no reason for anyone to wear a mask since we rarely are next to someone in a store for 15 minutes or more...dumb

Rant over

When I heard that news on testing in the U.S. I said to my wife that is going to make traveling for Americans even harder than it is right now.To convey a Canadian testing story, my wife last week had a sore throat and our Dr. said go get a covid test to rule that out. On Wednesday she called our regional health department, on Thursday they called and gave her a Friday drive though appointment at our local hospital. When we arrived we were 4th in line and tested in less than 10 minutes. On Saturday morning she received her negative results on her phone. On Monday morning she had access to her printable written results for a RT PCR test, the lab is closed on the weekend. So for us it seems traveling is a matter of test timing and flight schedule. Now the big question is do we want to travel.

Oh and by the way the test is free, covered by our health care system

That is no different than certain areas of the US. If the test is necessary. I had a surgical procedure and needed a test. Results were in my portal within hours. For travel is a different story and that’s the problem. Tests are covered no charge for illness. Doubt covered for travel but who knows anymore.

Several ways to look at this, one being perhaps a test won't be necessary to fly. Of course I'm just trying to be positive.

The individual states and countries will make their decisions as they see fit and will continue to require a negative test before arrival. This elimination of symptom free testing will make that near impossible...unless....the states say ummm, no....we are going to continue to test as we see fit. Only time will tell..

I still think that this is part an overall plan..less testing= less cases..BUT....not having the symptom free and maybe negative people in the mix will increase the positive percentage numbers for those states and be very counterproductive

I'm with you on this one Carol, STUPID,STUPID, STUPID!!!!

While I agree that this change is stupid, it is just a recommendation (as are all CDC guidelines). Perhaps with fewer people getting tests, the labs can catch up and the results won't take as long to come in. I can get a test at my doctor's office without even making an appointment, but they're telling me that the results take anywhere two to TWELVE days, and they never know how long it will take.

While I'm not sure Georgia, I believe some insurance companies base payment for the test, based on whether it is a CDC recommendation. Regardless, just a stupid change, which hopefully they will change back.

We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Well, if I need a test to travel, I can certainly say I have a sore throat. Ridiculous.

But then when you are asked on the travel questionnaire you would have to answer yes if you have had any symptoms in past 14 days. Catch 22.

Why? My Covid negative result won't say why I was tested. Regardless, if I have to pay for the test instead of my insurance covering it, that's no big deal.

But there is no reason why the CDC should make it more DIFFICULT to be tested. For some people, if it costs say $150, that's a lot, if you're unemployed or just hanging on by a thread..

All of the outside medical professionals are saying this is a big mistake.

lol...and they changed the recommendation while Fauci was under anesthesia and in surgery.... haha

https://www.axios.com/fauci-cdc-asymptomatic-testing-6ac38940-406f-4821-aaae-c9478d4ff107.html

Yup.

Whale Tail, what hospital in the Niagara region did your wife have the test

Billtjw St. Catharines General on 4th Ave.We talked to friends today and had their test done at the Niagara Falls Hospital, non drive through and got their non printable results the next morning.A RT PCR test.

What good is a non printable result good for traveling to SXM?

Thanks WhaleTail, so results by phone in one day and printable results two days later is that correct.

Scubaman it's not good for traveling to SXM you're right.My point was that my friends got their results from our regional health care system the next day and chose not to get printable results because they just wanted to make sure before visiting parents.But the option for printable lab report is available to them.

CDC just backed off those guidelines. That didn't take long....

Billtjw yes results from regional health department the next morning by their app which was basically pos or neg if you get a pos I'm sure you can expect a phone call.In our case the test was taken at 11am Friday and printable results were available Monday morning with all the technical stuff. So does that mean we would have to land on SXM on Monday I hope they accept results on a cell phone, that's cutting it to close.This was done through a website MyChart.ca you have to create an account with them to access test results and apparently you have to take a selfie with your health card by your face to compare photo to person.It worked well we got a lab report that we can travel with. I believe MyChart says results within a week and in our case test was done on 21th and run date on lab report is 24th which included a weekend so it would be interesting to have a test done on a Monday and see when the lab report is available. My wife suggest that since she has already had the test that I go on a Monday and I said if you're negative then I'm good. I think I'll lose this one

Walked back somewhat. I don't want this to get political, but the fourth paragraph is especially interesting.

LINK

Not really a walk back of the no testing of symptom free (travelers)...just a Captain Obvious statement that exposures to known COVID cases can be tested if symptom free. I haven't seen the actualy statement from the CDC...just that article