Rapid Antigen Testing - Let's talk $$$

[Luv2Cruze4]

Hi All,

I have been doing some research to try and get the best deal for a rapid antigen that we can use to board the ship. Found that at the Walmart Pharmacy - $19.97 each. Shopper Drug Mart was $40.

Anyone else experience a lower price?

[Fouremco]

Costco is/was $17.

[Luv2Cruze4]

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

Costco is/was $17.

Nice!

[AandBmom]

agree costco is best I've found.  Unfortunately the US Costcos don't seem to offer testing. 

[bcwife76]

None of these cheaper options are available in BC. If going through a medical clinic we are looking at $90 and upwards per person. The cheapest for BC residents would be the Switch at home kit for 2 for $80.

[archer_310]

Rexall is $30

[archer_310]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Costco is/was $17.

 

IF your Costco offers testing.  The one near me doesn't.

[muffin]

Don’t understand why BC did this to its residents. We could only use Life Labs franchise. This was a killer for the PCR tests which were massively more expensive. Add a family to the need and it was very painful. Now the at home testing helps somewhat……but you have to be comfortable with that format. Anybody know why Bonnie Henry and group made this choice?  Only thing I have to fault her on!  

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, archer_310 said:

 

IF your Costco offers testing.  The one near me doesn't.

I don't know if this is close to you, but this Costco offers testing according to the website:

 

7500 Pin Oak Dr

Niagara Falls

[mama-of-three]

8 hours ago, bcwife76 said:

None of these cheaper options are available in BC. If going through a medical clinic we are looking at $90 and upwards per person. The cheapest for BC residents would be the Switch at home kit for 2 for $80.

Our Switch antigen tests just arrived today. 

[tottenhamfc]

There are rumours that the contract for LifeLabs had some association with Govt. Unconfirmed but makes sense. Just like the retired doctors are paid 150 bucks an hour for giving vaccines at clinics when retired Public Health Nurses are being paid under 50 bucks. This I can confirm. Makes no sense to me.

[broberts]

1 hour ago, tottenhamfc said:

Makes no sense to me.

 

Especially since nurses are likely to have far more experience giving injections of this sort. ☹️

[boater3]

12 hours ago, mama-of-three said:

Our Switch antigen tests just arrived today. 

For anyone cruising with Viking, just to advise I've had correspondence with them several times regarding the Switch antigen tests and they do not accept them even though they are virtual because they are not lab certified.  We had hoped to do the at home tests for our upcoming April river cruise. The closest location for us to get the PCR test within 72 hours of our flight is over an hour away with Life Labs. The timing of our 5pm flight makes it difficult to get the 24 hour antigen test results back in time.  I do not want to have it done the day of our flight. I'm just giving a heads up.

FYI

Pat

[broberts]

8 minutes ago, boater3 said:

For anyone cruising with Viking, just to advise I've had correspondence with them several times regarding the Switch antigen tests and they do not accept them even though they are virtual because they are not lab certified.  We had hoped to do the at home tests for our upcoming April river cruise. The closest location for us to get the PCR test within 72 hours of our flight is over an hour away with Life Labs. The timing of our 5pm flight makes it difficult to get the 24 hour antigen test results back in time.  I do not want to have it done the day of our flight. I'm just giving a heads up.

FYI

Pat

 

What is meant by "not lab certified". The test is visually proctored by a technician. The test is Health Canada Approved.

[cdn_tbird]

22 hours ago, bcwife76 said:

None of these cheaper options are available in BC. If going through a medical clinic we are looking at $90 and upwards per person. The cheapest for BC residents would be the Switch at home kit for 2 for $80.

Damn. We're going to be in Vancouver for 4 days before our Alaska cruise at the end of Aug. and would need to get our tests done in Vancouver. Oh well, here's to hoping that the testing requirements get even more relaxed before then or the prices drop. 

[boater3]

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

What is meant by "not lab certified". The test is visually proctored by a technician. The test is Health Canada Approved.

Below are the answers I have received from both Viking Guest Services and a Switch health rep this week with the most recent Viking one at the top.

fyi

Pat

 

Thank you for your prompt response.

 

I have confirmed with upper management that unless it's lab certified, it is not accepted. The Health practitioner supervision would not meet Viking's requirements. We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused.

We will provide additionally testing both at the pre-extension and post-extension.
 

Hello again Mariana,

 

Here below in italics is the response I just received from Switch Health re the at home test.  Can you please again follow-up with upper management to see if this is acceptable to Viking.  It all seems so confusing to me. We are doing the pre-extension in Nice with Viking and will not be getting directly on the ship.  Is testing done at the hotel again?

 

 

The antigen test are certified by a healthcare practitioner but they do not go to a lab as they can be done anywhere in the world. I am not sure if they mean it has to be done with a healthcare practitioner on video chat or if it MUST be in a lab. I would check with them to confirm that.

Justinfrom Switch Health

 

[Fouremco]

I wonder whether Viking also refuses to accept similar proctored test kits sold by US companies. Their attitude seems very strange, given the fact that other lines accept them, and in some cases promote them. Celebrity, for example, has partnered with a company to sell them:

 

Testing Options

Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test
For fully vaccinated guests, a home-test kit is available for purchase on our website. We are working with Optum, an authorized medical provider to offer this option to our guests. Complete your pre-cruise test at home or any place of your choosing with the help of live video supervision by a Certified Guide. This test kit will be delivered anywhere in the United States* within three business days following your order date. For the best shipping experience, we recommend placing your order at least a full week before the day you plan to take your test. Your validated test results will be delivered within 15 minutes.. Order At-home Test Kit

 

 

 

 

[DHP1]

57 minutes ago, cdn_tbird said:

Damn. We're going to be in Vancouver for 4 days before our Alaska cruise at the end of Aug. and would need to get our tests done in Vancouver. Oh well, here's to hoping that the testing requirements get even more relaxed before then or the prices drop. 

Testing in Vancouver is expensive. So the day of our flight, we’ll get tested and spend 2 days in Vancouver. If Princess doesn’t change there boarding policy, then were all good. No further testing will be required to board the ship.  

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by DHP1

[boater3]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

I wonder whether Viking also refuses to accept similar proctored test kits sold by US companies. Their attitude seems very strange, given the fact that other lines accept them, and in some cases promote them. Celebrity, for example, has partnered with a company to sell them:

 

Testing Options

Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test
For fully vaccinated guests, a home-test kit is available for purchase on our website. We are working with Optum, an authorized medical provider to offer this option to our guests. Complete your pre-cruise test at home or any place of your choosing with the help of live video supervision by a Certified Guide. This test kit will be delivered anywhere in the United States* within three business days following your order date. For the best shipping experience, we recommend placing your order at least a full week before the day you plan to take your test. Your validated test results will be delivered within 15 minutes.. Order At-home Test Kit

 

 

 

 

The 3 companies they listed were American websites from what I could see for the at home tests.  I don't understand.  They say they are not affiliated with those companies.  The Switch test doesn't look like it's a problem if you're going to US but we are going to France. I wish they were like Celebrity!

[broberts]

2 hours ago, boater3 said:

Below are the answers I have received from both Viking Guest Services and a Switch health rep this week with the most recent Viking one at the top.

fyi

Pat

 

Thank you for your prompt response.

 

I have confirmed with upper management that unless it's lab certified, it is not accepted. The Health practitioner supervision would not meet Viking's requirements. We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused.

We will provide additionally testing both at the pre-extension and post-extension.
 

Hello again Mariana,

 

Here below in italics is the response I just received from Switch Health re the at home test.  Can you please again follow-up with upper management to see if this is acceptable to Viking.  It all seems so confusing to me. We are doing the pre-extension in Nice with Viking and will not be getting directly on the ship.  Is testing done at the hotel again?

 

 

The antigen test are certified by a healthcare practitioner but they do not go to a lab as they can be done anywhere in the world. I am not sure if they mean it has to be done with a healthcare practitioner on video chat or if it MUST be in a lab. I would check with them to confirm that.

Justinfrom Switch Health

 

 

Perhaps the issue is semantic. According to https://www.vikingcruisescanada.com/oceans/my-trip/health-and-safety/covid-19-testing.html "a laboratory-certified proof of negative result" is required. Does the swithchealth report emailed not conform?

 

 

[boater3]

Apparently the Switch Health at home test is not lab certified. It is done virtually but not sent to a lab.  Justin from Switch Health confirms that.  Looks like we will be driving down to Oshawa and paying the $150 pp 72 hrs. in advance and having the PCR test.  I certainly don't want to take any chances and have a test done within 24 hrs. of our 5pm flight. They guarantee results within 48 hrs. Lots to think about in advance with travelling these days. Not a lot of testing options in the area where we live that conform to Viking.  I sure hope things settle down before our next river cruise in October!  We do love Viking however, other than this issue. 

[broberts]

16 minutes ago, boater3 said:

Apparently the Switch Health at home test is not lab certified. It is done virtually but not sent to a lab.  Justin from Switch Health confirms that.  Looks like we will be driving down to Oshawa and paying the $150 pp 72 hrs. in advance and having the PCR test.  I certainly don't want to take any chances and have a test done within 24 hrs. of our 5pm flight. They guarantee results within 48 hrs. Lots to think about in advance with travelling these days. Not a lot of testing options in the area where we live that conform to Viking.  I sure hope things settle down before our next river cruise in October!  We do love Viking however, other than this issue. 

 

I understand what you are saying, but the Viking web page does not require a test be sent to a lab just that the test be certified by a lab. Whatever, it's not worth taking a chance on.

[Fouremco]

The whole purpose of these proctored home kits is to enable you to do a test at home under the supervision of a telehealth professional. There is no need for lab certification, as the test kit does the analysis and that is certified by the telehealth proctor who does not need to be working in a lab. Viking is really out of step with the rest of the cruise industry and the CDC.

 

Here's what Celebrity is offering, for all intents and purposes identical to the Switch Health test kit.

 

https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-2-pack-cc

[boater3]

I most certainly agree with you.  I just sent one last e-mail to Viking Guest Services (same person) mentioning the fact that these 3 at home test companies they list are American. Seeing as there are lots of Canadians that take Viking cruises (we've done 5  or 6 both river and ocean ones and loved them all),  I asked if there is a Canadian company that Viking accepts for at home testing results. 

I will let you know their response.

 

[DHLuCruise]

5 hours ago, Fouremco said:

The whole purpose of these proctored home kits is to enable you to do a test at home under the supervision of a telehealth professional. There is no need for lab certification, as the test kit does the analysis and that is certified by the telehealth proctor who does not need to be working in a lab. Viking is really out of step with the rest of the cruise industry and the CDC.

 

Here's what Celebrity is offering, for all intents and purposes identical to the Switch Health test kit.

 

https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-2-pack-cc

 

Royal and celebrity I believe have similar wording on the remote test: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/is-there-a-telemedicine-option-for-pre-cruise-covid-19-test. "International guests sailing from the U.S. are able to complete their testing using telehealth test kits, providing the kit has been authorized for use by the U.S. FDA." This I believe makes the switch health test valid for travel.. Someone in another thread mentioned they used the switch health antigen test to cruise.