Pre-Travel COVID Testing Recommendations

[1Kflyerguy]

Thanks 1Kflyerguy. I just looked it up on the Alaska Airlines site, (the airline we're flying), and found this page:

COVID Testing for Alaska Flyers | Alaska Airlines

COVID testing is available for flyers through our testing partner, Carbon Health. A negative test result must be collected within 72 hours of departure. Learn more.

www.alaskaair.com

They have a section pointing to Carbon Health, which has a site at SJC, and they claim a 2 hour turnaround (rapid testing). I called their number at SJC, and the recording claims the same. Hmmm. It would make me really nervous to arrive at the airport (probably 3 hrs early) and not have the requirements met, but it may be my best option. I just now realized that, since we're travelling July 7, then 72 hrs before is Sunday July 4. I'm not even sure if sites like CVS will be open on that day. Hmmm. Maybe, as the time approaches, we should try to get an appt on 7/4 at CVS. If we get the appt and the results come back in time, fine. Otherwise, Carbon Health could be our backup.

Sound right?

Yea, that's tough but your plan sounds pretty good to me. I like having stuff nailed down in advance..

 

[Blues]

Thanks 1Kflyerguy. I just looked it up on the Alaska Airlines site, (the airline we're flying), and found this page:

COVID Testing for Alaska Flyers | Alaska Airlines

COVID testing is available for flyers through our testing partner, Carbon Health. A negative test result must be collected within 72 hours of departure. Learn more.

www.alaskaair.com

They have a section pointing to Carbon Health, which has a site at SJC, and they claim a 2 hour turnaround (rapid testing). I called their number at SJC, and the recording claims the same. Hmmm. It would make me really nervous to arrive at the airport (probably 3 hrs early) and not have the requirements met, but it may be my best option. I just now realized that, since we're travelling July 7, then 72 hrs before is Sunday July 4. I'm not even sure if sites like CVS will be open on that day. Hmmm. Maybe, as the time approaches, we should try to get an appt on 7/4 at CVS. If we get the appt and the results come back in time, fine. Otherwise, Carbon Health could be our backup.

Sound right?

ARRGH! Hawaii's announcement that, as of July 8, we vaccinated people don't need testing comes a day too late for us! We travel July 7.

To make matters worse, that would mean testing on July 4, for a 72 hour turnaround test. But neither Walgreens or CVS administer tests on the 4th of July! There are no other trusted testing sites anywhere nearby.

I just signed us up for Carbon Health at SJC for 9am on the day of our flight. Our flight leaves at 12:20 pm, so in theory this should work (Carbon does say 2 hr turnaround). That makes me very nervous, to show up at the airport on the day of our flight with no test yet. But it appears that's all I can do.

I'm mad at myself and the system. I made my reservation at HGVC Grand Waikikian about 6-9 months ago. I figured a Wed-Wed trip would likely have the lowest airfares. Booked the flight 10 weeks ago, and it was indeed the lowest fare day. But it NEVER occurred to me that the state of Hawaii would mess us up so bad; nor that the 72 hours meant testing on a major holiday that falls on a Sunday.

ARRGH!

 

[csodjd]

ARRGH! Hawaii's announcement that, as of July 8, we vaccinated people don't need testing comes a day too late for us! We travel July 7.

To make matters worse, that would mean testing on July 4, for a 72 hour turnaround test. But neither Walgreens or CVS administer tests on the 4th of July! There are no other trusted testing sites anywhere nearby.

I just signed us up for Carbon Health at SJC for 9am on the day of our flight. Our flight leaves at 12:20 pm, so in theory this should work (Carbon does say 2 hr turnaround). That makes me very nervous, to show up at the airport on the day of our flight with no test yet. But it appears that's all I can do.

I'm mad at myself and the system. I made my reservation at HGVC Grand Waikikian about 6-9 months ago. I figured a Wed-Wed trip would likely have the lowest airfares. Booked the flight 10 weeks ago, and it was indeed the lowest fare day. But it NEVER occurred to me that the state of Hawaii would mess us up so bad; nor that the 72 hours meant testing on a major holiday that falls on a Sunday.

ARRGH!

You may still have time to use Vault. You'd have to do the math to see the impact of the July 4 weekend/holiday.

 

[jackball]

We did the Walgreens ID Now and had results back literally within a couple of hours.

 

[Blues]

Thanks folks. Vault says on their web site that nothing will go out on July 4th or 5th. There is little to no chance that something going out on the 6th will return a result by the 7th.

Walgreens does not do ID Now anywhere in California.

 

[csodjd]

We went through the Safe Travel screening in Honolulu yesterday. It was empty! No line. Landed at 11:00, about 30 min earlier than scheduled and we were almost first out of the plane. Next trip back it will be with the “I’m vaccinated” exemption so it’ll be interest it see if it’s any different. I expect it will work much the same except that the QR code will come based on vaccination instead of a test upload.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

ARRGH! Hawaii's announcement that, as of July 8, we vaccinated people don't need testing comes a day too late for us! We travel July 7.

To make matters worse, that would mean testing on July 4, for a 72 hour turnaround test. But neither Walgreens or CVS administer tests on the 4th of July! There are no other trusted testing sites anywhere nearby.

I just signed us up for Carbon Health at SJC for 9am on the day of our flight. Our flight leaves at 12:20 pm, so in theory this should work (Carbon does say 2 hr turnaround). That makes me very nervous, to show up at the airport on the day of our flight with no test yet. But it appears that's all I can do.

I'm mad at myself and the system. I made my reservation at HGVC Grand Waikikian about 6-9 months ago. I figured a Wed-Wed trip would likely have the lowest airfares. Booked the flight 10 weeks ago, and it was indeed the lowest fare day. But it NEVER occurred to me that the state of Hawaii would mess us up so bad; nor that the 72 hours meant testing on a major holiday that falls on a Sunday.

ARRGH!

Could you test earlier in San Jose, either before your flight or a day earlier? I know that's a haul from Monterey... If they don't have anything available on their website, but might try calling or emailing the test center. I was able to adjust one of my tests that way...

 

[tahoe]

FWIW, we were tested by City Health at the Oakland Airport in California. It was at an outdoor parking lot, and we swabbed ourselves in the car. The whole process went smoothly. They didn't strictly check appointment times - we were 30 minutes early. Got results via test < 24 hours later. Cost was $20/person + insurance. Appointment slots are filing up fast - I think this is one of the few options in the Bay Area that didn't cost > $100. San Jose was full when I checked, so we ended up driving to Oakland - plan ahead if you plan to use this company in the Bay Area.

https://covidtesting.cityhealthuc.com/locations/san-jose

 

[Blues]

So, we took the Walgreens free test this morning, since they weren't open on the 4th. They said they should have results in 24-48 hours, so we'll see. We leave in 48 hours.

In addition, we have appointments for Carbon Health at SJC for their 2 hr Rapid PCR. 9am appts, 12:20pm flight. That's our backup if Walgreens doesn't come through. My prediction - Walgreens will come through after we've already taken the rapid test at Carbon.

Wish us luck.

 

[Blues]

Sitting at SJC now, with our wrist bands. Yay! Got here 5 hours pre-flight, to deal with this nonsense. Status --

Walgreens still hasn't sent my DW her result. Got mine - invalid sample. Came in via email just as Carbon nurse was about to stick a stick up my nose.

Carbon at SJC was great. Except - at the last minute, their web site changed their status to a 3 hour turnaround, rather than 2. I called to complain that we did our reservation with the 2 hour turnaround, which I had called twice to verify. They simply said to come in early and they'd fit us in as possible. In fact, we ended up being 2nd in line. And when I pointed out that our plane leaves at noon, they said they'd expedite the test. Which they did, in spades! Got the result back in an hour, as we were sitting at Denny's having breakfast. Used Denny's wifi (slow!!) to upload to Hawaii Safe Travels.

All's well that ends well. Proof will be when we go through the lines in Honolulu.

 

[controller1]

Sitting at SJC now, with our wrist bands. Yay! Got here 5 hours pre-flight, to deal with this nonsense. Status --

Walgreens still hasn't sent my DW her result. Got mine - invalid sample. Came in via email just as Carbon nurse was about to stick a stick up my nose.

Carbon at SJC was great. Except - at the last minute, their web site changed their status to a 3 hour turnaround, rather than 2. I called to complain that we did our reservation with the 2 hour turnaround, which I had called twice to verify. They simply said to come in early and they'd fit us in as possible. In fact, we ended up being 2nd in line. And when I pointed out that our plane leaves at noon, they said they'd expedite the test. Which they did, in spades! Got the result back in an hour, as we were sitting at Denny's having breakfast. Used Denny's wifi (slow!!) to upload to Hawaii Safe Travels.

All's well that ends well. Proof will be when we go through the lines in Honolulu.

And all this because today is July 7th and not July 8th!

 

[Blues]

And all this because today is July 7th and not July 8th!

True. But there may have been some advantage to that. We got through the airport, taxi (Charleys) and checkin at Grand Waikikian with few lines. Suddenly, on Thurs July 8, it seemed like the entire world descended on Hawaii/Waikiki. I think everyone keyed in on that July 8 date.

 

[Blues]

And oh, BTW, while Walgreens told me that my sample was defective, my wife never did get any results of any sort from Walgreens. Glad we didn't depend on them.