[COVID Self-Test] for Flights Back to the US

Ever been Proctored?

It’s way cooler than it sounds.

In A Nutshell: Need a Covid Test for your return flight? Don’t spend a day of your vacay waiting in lines. Take 15 minutes to get Proctored while pillaging your mini-bar – and head back to the beach.

Bottom line – you need a Negative COVID test to get on a flight to return home to the US.

I don’t want to stand in line at the resort to sign up for my test, then stand in line at the appointed location – at the appointed time – to get a stick driven into my brain.

I suspect you don’t either….

Fortunately, the FDA – and airlines – have approved COVID rapid antigen self-tests that will get you back into the US.

Spoiler alert – you need a cell phone, tablet, or laptop to pull this off.

Here is how it works:

You buy an Antigen test for each person traveling with you.
You go to the test companies’ website. Fill in your information and upload a picture.
You sign up for a test date and time (they are in 15-minute time blocks).
Then….
You head off to your vacation hotspot for some sun, sand, and fun. With your phone, tablet or laptop.
Then….
On your appointed day/time a Proctor verifies you are who you say you are.
You open the test packet you purchased (Wait until they tell you to open it)
You rub a swab around your nostril.
You then put it in a container with a secret sauce in it.
If it turns pink, you have tested Positive and get to stay on vacay for 5 more days.
If you’re Negative then in 15 minutes they email you your approval letter and QR code.
You show the approval to the gate agent, get on your flight, and resume the partay.

We know this works because one of our teammates just did it.

Easy peasy.

If you want a second opinion you can go stand in line at the resort and get it done again.

Some Q’s and A’s:

What do the self-test kits cost?
$10 to $30 per test.

How reliable are these self-test kits?
The FDA claims 98.5% to 100% accurate

Will my insurance cover the cost?
Don’t know….

Where can I get these test kits?
Typically they can be found at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, or Amazon.

Which self-test kit should I buy?
This list is from the FDA website – and lists FDA-authorized OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests. This table includes links to self-test instructions for each test.

Word around the campfire is that Abbott and iHealth work well…..but that is only hearsay and theirsay.

Manufacturer and Test Name (Links to Instructions for Use)	Test Type	Who can use this test: Symptoms	Who can use this test: Age	Other Details
Abbott Diagnostics Scarborough, Inc.: BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 15 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Requires supervision of a telehealth proctor and a smartphone or computer Results in 15 minutes
Abbott Diagnostics Scarborough, Inc.: BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 15 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Smartphone optional Results in 15 minutes
Access Bio, Inc.: CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Smartphone optional Alternate brand name: On/go COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test Results in 10 minutes
ACON Laboratories, Inc: Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Smartphone optional Alternate brand name: On/Go One COVID-19 Antigen Home Test Results in 15 minutes
Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD): BD Veritor At-Home COVID-19 Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Requires a smartphone Results in 15 minutes
Celltrion USA, Inc.: Celltrion DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Home Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 14 years and older	Mid-turbinate nasal swab Smartphone optional Results in 15 minutes
Ellume Limited: Ellume COVID-19 Home Test	Antigen	People with or without symptoms	Age 16 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Mid-turbinate nasal swab Requires a Smartphone Results in 15 minutes
iHealth Labs, Inc.: iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 15 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Smartphone optional Results in 15 minutes
InBios International Inc: SCoV-2 Ag Detect Rapid Self-Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 5 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Results in 20 minutes
Lucira Health, Inc: Lucira CHECK-IT COVID-19 Test Kit	PCR	People with or without symptoms	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Smartphone optional Results in 30 minutes
Maxim Biomedical, Inc.: MaximBio ClearDetect COVID-19 Antigen Home Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 5 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Results in 15 minutes
OraSure Technologies, Inc.: InteliSwab COVID-19 Rapid Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 18 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Smartphone optional Results in 30 minutes
PHASE Scientific International, Ltd.: INDICAID COVID-19 Rapid Antigen At-Home Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 6 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Results in 20 minutes
Quidel Corporation: QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 6 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Results in 10 minutes
SD Biosensor, Inc.: COVID-19 At-Home Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 6 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Results in 20 minutes
Siemens Healthineer: CLINITEST Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test	Antigen	People with symptoms that began within the last 7 days	Age 14 years and older Age 2 years and older when collected by an adult	Nasal swab Results in 15 minutes

Btw…..this also works if you are going to Hawaii

And…. the CDC recommends you keep your COVID-19 test results for 14 days after reaching their final destination in the United States in case someone questions you on it.

That is how self-testing looks from the BackSeat….

~Jake

‘Just sitting here keeping the sand warm for ya’….