Is Abbott BinaxNOW test guided? From Celebrity.

[TeeRick]

Why pay $20 or more for a COVID antigen test at the pharmacy?  Just want to remind everybody (from the USA) that you can get up to 8 free COVID at-home antigen test kits.  It takes a few weeks, so order for later cruises.  Ours came as the Abbott BinaxNow version but there are others.  Useful for testing at home before or after you travel.  And good for cruises that no longer required proctored tests.    There are insurance and Medicare reimbursements too.

 

Here is the link for ordering the free tests.

https://special.usps.com/testkits

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Why pay $20 or more for a COVID antigen test at the pharmacy?  Just want to remind everybody (from the USA) that you can get up to 8 free COVID at-home antigen test kits.  It takes a few weeks, so order for later cruises.  Ours came as the Abbott BinaxNow version but there are others.  Useful for testing at home before or after you travel.  And good for cruises that no longer required proctored tests.    There are insurance and Medicare reimbursements too.

 

Here is the link for ordering the free tests.

https://special.usps.com/testkits

That may work for some people, but some of us have to comply with government regulations e.g. Greek government.  

[rj59]

23 hours ago, zitsky said:

Below from a friend.  Is this test guided?  Are they there to guide you through each step?  Or are they just there to give results?  How easy to do with a standard cell phone and camera?  This would be done in Rome, Italy.

 

I tried to use the USA government test at home but directions were not clear to me.  So I went to CVS.
 

Celebrity uses the Abbott BinaxNOW test. When you are ready to test, you call/facetime in and someone watches you do the test. The test is 
$35/each. Celebrity suggests buying 2 in case there is a problem with one.

https://store.optum.com/celebrity-cruises-tests/

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/italy-travel-requirements/updated
 

Two things that are important for BinaxNOW. First is to make sure you're able to have a device showing you taking the test on a table, so a phone/tablet has to be propped forward or have someone hold it the entire time (a laptop/chromebook is much easier). The second is to make sure they get your name right--both proctors I had (from India and the Philippines) didn't understand a middle name, so one objected when I didn't list my middle name on registration, and a second input my middle name in test results as my last name. 

[TeeRick]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

That may work for some people, but some of us have to comply with government regulations e.g. Greek government.  

Yes very well understood.  No problem.