Getting Tested for Coronavirus Before Traveling

Aug 30

What You Need to Know About Getting Tested for Coronavirus Before Traveling

Traveling increases the chance of spreading and acquiring COVID-19 infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends, staying home is the best option to protect yourself and other people from COVID-19. However, it is understandable that sometimes traveling is inevitable, whether it is work-related or personal. You may need to go check in on your aging parent, or a loved one who may be sick. It could’ve been awhile since the last time you went to go visit Grandma. Now, a lot of young people will be going back to their college dormitories. Though the fact remains that you can get exposed to COVID-19 during your travels. Even if you feel well and not show any symptoms, you can still spread COVID-19 to others, including your loved ones, family, friends, and your community. Once you carry the virus, regardless of symptoms, you will be the source of spreading COVID-19 for 14 days after your initial exposure to the virus. That being said, you can take precautions against spreading COVID-19 by getting tested for it before and/or after traveling.

It is a best practice to follow a strict self-quarantine at home for at least 7 days before traveling, then taking the COVID-19 test at a testing facility or clinic closer to the travel date. You don’t want to plan to take the test too early because you have a larger window of time to get the virus before your trip, invalidating your test result. Similarly, you don’t want to plan your test too close to your departure date in case there’s a delay in getting the result, which may result in denial of entry to a destination. You should travel after getting a negative test result with some level of assurance that you wouldn’t be spreading the coronavirus while on the road. But keep in mind that the risk for contracting it is still there. So essentially, getting the testing done is not foolproof, but it minimizes the risk of dissemination. It is, however, an important step in our planning process nowadays. Along with our packing list, the new normal is the need to plan for taking the COVID test!

Travel-associated COVID testing is a significant consideration, one that is under active discussion, in the U.S. and internationally. Testing and proper course of action informed by testing can reduce the risk of transportation-related COVID-19 infection as well as the spreading of the virus from one location to another.

So, where do you go for a coronavirus test before traveling?

There’s a whole host of places that offer coronavirus testing, including:

Urgent care centers
Travel clinics
Fire stations
Pop-up testing sites
Hospitals
Pharmacies
PCP’s office

Travelers should check in with their primary care provider, who would know the best options for testing in their location. You may also look at your city and state health department websites for testing resources. For instance, I went on Google and searched for “COVID-19 testing resources in NJ” which led me to this site: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing. This site is quite resourceful. It let me know that testing is available to everyone in NJ, and that should be the case for all the other states as well. There are 250 testing sites available in NJ to help determine if someone has COVID-19. This site also has a link to help me locate a testing site near me, learn how to get tested and find key information about New Jersey's testing program and related resources.

Additional information on this site includes:

What happens if I test positive? Is there any help for medical treatment, paying bills, or getting food and other essentials?
Is COVID-19 testing free? Where can I get free treatment?
How can I get testing or treatment for COVID-19 if I’m uninsured or undocumented? How do I cover the health costs associated with COVID-19?
Should I get tested for COVID-19 antibodies?
How is NJ increasing access to COVID-19 testing?
I was tested for COVID-19. How do I get my results?

You can find similar information in your city and state health department websites. While some may be able to walk into a testing site without an appointment, do not wait until the last minute to arrange your test. Appointments in some locations could be limited. Some testing locations may have shortages of testing supplies and manpower. Some testing sites may only test high-priority, at-risk people, and turn away travelers. So do your due diligence ahead of time.

There are a variety of tests for coronavirus infection. The viral test is designed to detect whether you currently have the infection, while an antibody test will determine if you’ve had the virus in the past even though you have fully recovered. The viral test can be either a molecular test that detects the virus’ genetic material, or antigen specific that detects proteins that are present on the surface of the virus. Usually the antigen tests provide rapid results, although it could be less accurate. Molecular genetic testing requires hours or days to get the results, but it is more accurate since it detects a higher percentage of active infection compared to the antigen tests. You can choose the viral, or diagnostic, test to find out if you actively have the coronavirus before traveling. These tests are done by nasal or throat swabs, as well as by taking saliva samples. If tests are widely available in your area and the speed of the results matters to you, then you may want to choose a location based on the type of testing they offer.

Depending on the testing site, and the status of a traveler’s health insurance, the price point of a coronavirus test will differ. However, there may be options for some to get it done for free. Again, visit your city and state health department websites to find out more information.

Certain states (like Hawaii and Alaska) and international trips will likely require all non-residents to arrive with a qualifying negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure or proof of a pending test result from a test taken within 72 hours before departure.

Expect different wait times for getting results of different tests. Travelers should strategize their testing time accordingly.

Some test results can come back in two to four days, while others end up waiting for weeks. The new saliva tests take just hours to get results. Know that if you are promised a timeframe for your test results, there may be a delay, which may be a bigger issue if traveling to a destination that requires proof of a negative test. To reduce unnecessary anxiety about the right timing for the test, try to have a flexible travel schedule, if possible.

Having a little buffer between testing and start of travel date can alleviate a lot of hassle.

If a non-resident arrives without a pre-test, testing may be available at a premium price at your destination. The traveler will likely be required to quarantine while waiting on results.

While the pre-travel testing reduces the risk spreading the virus on airplanes and other forms of public transportation, getting a test at the end or after a trip is just as important so that you may avoid spreading the virus at home.

Remember, don’t travel if you are sick, or if you were exposed to someone who has COVID-19 in the past 14 days. And it goes without saying, don’t travel with anyone who may be sick.

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