I know that some people from the US are jumping off to Spain in the near future. Getting there now seems pretty straightforward if you have a record of your vaccination. Please note that I am only talking about the US. Anyone who wants to discuss another country should start a new thread.
Coming home requires a test conducted three days/72 hours before your flight departs. This is a very generous window, as explained on the CDC website:
Why does the Order specify 3 days rather than 72 hours? What is considered 3 days?
The 3-day period is the 3 days before the flight’s departure. The Order uses a 3-day timeframe instead of 72 hours to provide more flexibility to the traveler. By using a 3-day window, test validity does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test was administered.
For example, if a passenger’s flight is at 1pm on a Friday, the passenger could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Tuesday or after.
The website also provides details about what kind of test is acceptable.
What types of SARS-CoV-2 test are acceptable under the Order?
Passengers must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Examples of available NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 include but are not restricted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA). The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered.
So the CDC says either a PCR test or an antigen test is acceptable.
Does anyone on the forum have any insight into whether travelers should use one test or another? My medical and scientific knowledge is pretty elementary, but I wonder if an antigen test could reveal exposure to covid even though the traveler is not infected and has immunity.
Buen camino, Laurie
Coming home requires a test conducted three days/72 hours before your flight departs. This is a very generous window, as explained on the CDC website:
Why does the Order specify 3 days rather than 72 hours? What is considered 3 days?
The 3-day period is the 3 days before the flight’s departure. The Order uses a 3-day timeframe instead of 72 hours to provide more flexibility to the traveler. By using a 3-day window, test validity does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test was administered.
For example, if a passenger’s flight is at 1pm on a Friday, the passenger could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Tuesday or after.
The website also provides details about what kind of test is acceptable.
What types of SARS-CoV-2 test are acceptable under the Order?
Passengers must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Examples of available NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 include but are not restricted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA). The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered.
So the CDC says either a PCR test or an antigen test is acceptable.
Does anyone on the forum have any insight into whether travelers should use one test or another? My medical and scientific knowledge is pretty elementary, but I wonder if an antigen test could reveal exposure to covid even though the traveler is not infected and has immunity.
Buen camino, Laurie
