Covid surging in Bonaire

[mbs]

It says they want both: a PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival and a rapid test taken within 4 hours of boarding the plane if traveling form a "high-risk" country. Which actually makes sense as far as the testing goes; logistically it's a bit of a non-starter.

Yea, I think the question was is the molecular rapid test which xpreschek uses ok or is the antigen rapid test required. Bonaire/Netherlands appears to want the antigen rapid. Which in my basic understand is less accurate than the molecular!!! Travel just seems too damn problematic at this time, at least for me.

 

[dmaziuk]

Yea, I think the question was is the molecular rapid test which xpreschek uses ok or is the antigen rapid test required. Bonaire/Netherlands appears to want the antigen rapid. Which in my basic understand is less accurate than the molecular!!! Travel just seems too damn problematic at this time, at least for me.

"Molecular" aka PCR is not "rapid" as in it has to go through a lab. As opposed to "pee on a stick and it turns blue in 20 minutes (or not)" type of test. With the current boost to the technology "the lab" is probably down to a table-top unit and if installed on-premises can crunch through the sample in hours, but I didn't see on Xprescheck website how long their molecular test takes. The one they advertise as rapid-while-you-wait sounds like the antigen test. I think I read it somewhere the Vienna airport does PCR in 3 hours, so it can be pretty "rapid".

Last I looked our healthcare provider did it in 3 days -- they have to send the sample to a big central lab someplace -- which means Bonaire's required 72 hours will expire by the time we receive the result.

 

[tridacna]

Solution:

 

[uncfnp]

"Molecular" aka PCR is not "rapid" as in it has to go through a lab. As opposed to "pee on a stick and it turns blue in 20 minutes (or not)" type of test. With the current boost to the technology "the lab" is probably down to a table-top unit and if installed on-premises can crunch through the sample in hours, but I didn't see on Xprescheck website how long their molecular test takes. The one they advertise as rapid-while-you-wait sounds like the antigen test. I think I read it somewhere the Vienna airport does PCR in 3 hours, so it can be pretty "rapid".

Last I looked our healthcare provider did it in 3 days -- they have to send the sample to a big central lab someplace -- which means Bonaire's required 72 hours will expire by the time we receive the result.

The terminology is very confusing and part of the reason the CDC has tried to move away from the term “rapid.” In covid terms, rapid simply denotes the length of time to get results. In the case of XpressCheck, the rapid is indeed a molecular test done on a table top unit. They advertise results in 30 to 45 minutes. It is most definitely a molecular and not antigen test.

 

[uncfnp]

Yea, I think the question was is the molecular rapid test which xpreschek uses ok or is the antigen rapid test required. Bonaire/Netherlands appears to want the antigen rapid. Which in my basic understand is less accurate than the molecular!!! Travel just seems too damn problematic at this time, at least for me.

And this was why I asked the source of the information. If XpressCheck simply confirmed the test was molecular, which we already knew, it kind of leaves open the question whether or not Bonaire will also accept the “rapid” molecular test since, as you say, it is a more accurate test. The Netherlands website I linked earlier specifically states they will accept a molecular test as the 4 hour rapid and that the Caribbean has the same requirements. I emailed the Netherlands site to confirm and they forwarded the message to the Bonaire government site for my answer but so far no response.

 

[tursiops]

I didn't see on Xprescheck website how long their molecular test takes. The one they advertise as rapid-while-you-wait sounds like the antigen test.

The XpresCheck Twitter feed says it is the Abbott ID NOW rapid molecular test:

 

[-Moe]

Solution:

View attachment 643868

And when covid is finally eradicated we will still have to wear the masks backwards for a couple of weeks to let our ears resume their normal position.

 

[mbs]

"Molecular" aka PCR is not "rapid" as in it has to go through a lab. As opposed to "pee on a stick and it turns blue in 20 minutes (or not)" type of test. With the current boost to the technology "the lab" is probably down to a table-top unit and if installed on-premises can crunch through the sample in hours, but I didn't see on Xprescheck website how long their molecular test takes. The one they advertise as rapid-while-you-wait sounds like the antigen test. I think I read it somewhere the Vienna airport does PCR in 3 hours, so it can be pretty "rapid".

Last I looked our healthcare provider did it in 3 days -- they have to send the sample to a big central lab someplace -- which means Bonaire's required 72 hours will expire by the time we receive the result.

Just reading what those guys say... I assume when they say while you wait they do not mean 3 hours!
"Rapid Molecular COVID Test
With this test, a sterile swab is inserted into your nose to take a sample. The sample is checked right in our lab for active COVID-19 virus. Results are available while you wait."

 

[tursiops]

Just reading what those guys say... I assume when they say while you wait they do not mean 3 hours!
"Rapid Molecular COVID Test
With this test, a sterile swab is inserted into your nose to take a sample. The sample is checked right in our lab for active COVID-19 virus. Results are available while you wait."

Better to read what XpresCheck says and not what dmaziuk thinks it says.

 

[dmaziuk]

Better to read what XpresCheck says and not what dmaziuk thinks it says.

Better still go to abbot.com and drill down to the horse's mouth explanation:

and see that yes: it is the RNA aka "genetic material" aka "molecular" test. This is pretty cool, actually, how quickly they got it from "days" to minutes and a lunchbox-sized gizmo.