Walgreens starting to charge for Travel COVID tests

[davekathy]

3 minutes ago, Wineaux007 said:

I just got my covid tests today at Walgreens.  Didn't have to pay.  I gave them my insurance and must have answered all the questions correctly to get "free" tests.  🤪

You took the Rapid NAAT test? 

[spunks]

good news on the horizon....Europe is no longer requiring negative tests to board any cruise ship leaving any port in Europe(except for one damned port in Greece). That will allow early travel to Europe. The word is that this might put pressure on the CDC to lift requirements to lift negativ test results for cruises boarding in the US.

 

Currently, only the US, Canada, and that strange port in Greece are the only places in the world requiring the tests.

 

Hopefully the whole thing goes away by Sept 1st.

[not-enough-cruising]

10 minutes ago, spunks said:

good news on the horizon....Europe is no longer requiring negative tests to board any cruise ship leaving any port in Europe(except for one damned port in Greece). That will allow early travel to Europe. The word is that this might put pressure on the CDC to lift requirements to lift negativ test results for cruises boarding in the US.

 

Currently, only the US, Canada, and that strange port in Greece are the only places in the world requiring the tests.

 

Hopefully the whole thing goes away by Sept 1st.

Since when has the ECDC ever stimulated the CDC to do anything

[bandp407]

We did Walgreens this morning. When I created the appointments, they asked for ALL of our Medicare information. Also on the health questionnaire we both had runny nose and headaches. They said there was no cost and gave us receipts as such. The young lady said they submit to Medicare but no charge to us. We had NEGATIVE results emailed  within the 2 hr time frame. I guess it depends on the Walgreens location . Perhaps after a few days, they have gotten their act together. Can't wait to board our cruise on Sunday!! Good Luck everyone - hopefully this testing will soon go away!

[Wineaux007]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

You took the Rapid NAAT test? 

That's the one.

[irishgal432]

45 minutes ago, spunks said:

good news on the horizon....Europe is no longer requiring negative tests to board any cruise ship leaving any port in Europe(except for one damned port in Greece). That will allow early travel to Europe. The word is that this might put pressure on the CDC to lift requirements to lift negativ test results for cruises boarding in the US.

 

Currently, only the US, Canada, and that strange port in Greece are the only places in the world requiring the tests.

 

Hopefully the whole thing goes away by Sept 1st.

Is this a new change today?  Is this for all cruise lines or just Holland america an NCL?

[spunks]

simply says no cruise boarding in Europe will be required by EDC to pre test for Covid 19 as a requirement for boarding. It has nothing to do with Holland or NCL.

[jamon]

What questions were you asked and how did you answer????????????

[Wineaux007]

5 hours ago, jamon said:

What questions were you asked and how did you answer????????????

Have you been in contact with someone within the last 14 days who has gotten covid?

Do you have any symptoms?  Cough, runny nose, diarrhea, etc.

 

You can figure it out when asked the questions.  If you check the box "just for travel" you will pay.

[calakerfan00]

Looks like they added new guidelines to their website. Guess they got tired of people calling.

[OCSC Mike]

Don't leave this part out...

 

* You will not have out-of-pocket costs if you meet the criteria for no-cost testing through your insurance or a government-funded program. You should contact your insurer before scheduling to confirm the test meets coverage criteria. You may be billed by Walgreens and, if applicable, the laboratory for up to the full price of the test if your insurance denies coverage or you don't meet eligibility criteria for government no-cost testing programs.

[lovesthebeach2]

On 7/8/2022 at 4:45 PM, spunks said:

simply says no cruise boarding in Europe will be required by EDC to pre test for Covid 19 as a requirement for boarding. It has nothing to do with Holland or NCL.

Where did you see that this for all cruises out of Europe? I thought only NCL. Can you post a link?

[texasparalegal]

On 7/8/2022 at 2:53 PM, spunks said:

good news on the horizon....Europe is no longer requiring negative tests to board any cruise ship leaving any port in Europe(except for one damned port in Greece). That will allow early travel to Europe. The word is that this might put pressure on the CDC to lift requirements to lift negativ test results for cruises boarding in the US.

 

Currently, only the US, Canada, and that strange port in Greece are the only places in the world requiring the tests.

 

Hopefully the whole thing goes away by Sept 1st.

Yes, please can you post a link to where you found this? I have clients sailing in less than 2 weeks out of Rome and if they can forgo testing before they board the ship it will make their lives so much easier.

[SargassoPirate]

Basic virology stays the same.  For a virus to survive and spread it needs a living host.  If it quickly kills the host, it cannot spread very far.  As viruses spread, they tend to become less lethal and more easily spread, which is what we are seeing with Covid.  It is mutating into a more easily spread and less lethal form.  And with the vaccines and therapeutics available the biggest problem/fear right now seems to be testing people who are not sick and then quarantining them because of a positive test when they are asymptomatic. 

 

Sooner or later the CDC and the cruise lines will realize that wholesale testing is an overkill and a huge drain on their resources as well as an expense and angst to their customers.

 

The recent ruling by the CDC regarding title 42 is a step in the right direction, the bolding is mine:

 

"After considering current public health conditions and an increased availability of tools to fight COVID-19 (such as highly effective vaccines and therapeutics), the CDC Director has determined that an Order suspending the right to introduce migrants into the United States is no longer necessary."

[smokeybandit]

3 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

(such as highly effective vaccines and therapeutics),

 

Too bad those don't exist for the current strains

[xpcdoojk]

Rights….  Whatever.

 

Agree Smoke

[SherriZ366]

21 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

 

Too bad those don't exist for the current strains

I have read that one of the vaccines (Moderna) may have been tweaked so that its next booster covers Omicron but will believe it when I see it.  

[smokeybandit]

1 hour ago, SherriZ366 said:

I have read that one of the vaccines (Moderna) may have been tweaked so that its next booster covers Omicron but will believe it when I see it.  

Yes they've been working on new formulas, but the FDA isn't requiring them to be actually tested against current variants, only that they're tested against the original omicron. So they'll be creating new formulas that'll be outdated the second they hit the shelves.

[SherriZ366]

On 7/17/2022 at 2:24 PM, smokeybandit said:

Yes they've been working on new formulas, but the FDA isn't requiring them to be actually tested against current variants, only that they're tested against the original omicron. So they'll be creating new formulas that'll be outdated the second they hit the shelves.

disapointing