Covid surging in Bonaire

[Joneill]

I came to Bonaire from Aruba 3 days ago. I was on Aruba at least 2 weeks and I had a vaccine card. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!! It was a breeze. And I am going back to Aruba the end of the week. Now I am certain that I will have to test in Aruba. They changed the rules, since the numbers are up. But people say: Look at all the cases in Aruba! Well look at all the cases in the US. I feel 100 times better in Aruba, than the States. In Aruba, its all the young kids partying and spreading it one to another. If you go to the high rise or low rise, eat out doors, have your groceries delivered. I really don;t see a problem if you are vaccinated. If you aren't vaccinated, I think you should take a real hard look, and do what the Scientist and Dr.s say! Go get vaccinated!

The numbers in the US are irrelevant to the fact that Aruba is currently seeing the highest numbers since this pandemic started, which sucks!

That is not a criticism of Aruba as they’ve done well until recently and given they’ve required a negative PCR test for all arriving passengers for a while now.

Unfortunately, this shows that a negative PCR test with no quarantine requirement on arrival is likely not a foolproof way of guaranteeing infected people are not arriving. Someone could have a negative result within the 72 hour window, but then subsequently get exposed to COVID prior to travel (or at the airport, etc.,).

Hopefully, this spike will pass with minimal impacts.

 

[electronym]

The ID NOW test is apparently not as accurate as PCR--more false negatives. But if it's good enough for Bonaire, it's good enough for me.

I'm having a difficult time finding the ID NOW test in my area. Walgreen's supposedly offers it, but every location in the greater Atlanta area that Walgreen's lists as providing it lists "no appointments available." This appears to relate to only the present day and the next day, and there doesn't appear to be a way to make appointments further out. I can't wait until 48 hours before my flight to chance some Walgreen's in the area will have an appointment or chance a walk-in.

A clinic in the area offers the ID NOW test for $160. Their instructions are very clear and allow you to make an appointment for whenever. I guess I'll dig into my wallet.

I'm guessing you've done this and made it in okay? I have the ID NOW test as well and am having last-minute anxiety that they're not going to accept it.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I'm guessing you've done this and made it in okay? I have the ID NOW test as well and am having last-minute anxiety that they're not going to accept it.

I ended up getting the ID NOW test, but only as a backup after getting a proper RT-PCR test while waiting for the results. The websites of the PCR test providers in my area either say "results in 24-72 hours" or are otherwise non-committal--no guarantees--which did not leave me feeling confident. But as it turned out, when I left the PCR test site, the technician said "you should have your results in 24 hours" ... as she handed me a sheet of paper saying "results within 72 hours." By then, I had already paid in advance for an ID NOW test. The PCR test provider sent me the results within about 24 hours . So, I have no need for my backup ID NOW test results.

 

[JaminBrown]

Does anyone know what happens if you don't have your PCR test results back prior to arrival at the Bonaire Airport? With the new requirement of having the test done within 48 hours of your arrival, and many test centers saying it might take up to 72 hours, it could create such a situation.

Thanks.

 

[tursiops]

Does anyone know what happens if you don't have your PCR test results back prior to arrival at the Bonaire Airport? With the new requirement of having the test done within 48 hours of your arrival, and many test centers saying it might take up to 72 hours, it could create such a situation.

Thanks.

You are not allowed entry. Get the ID NOW test; it is perfectly acceptable.

 

[JaminBrown]

You are not allowed entry. Get the ID NOW test; it is perfectly acceptable.

According to https://www.bonairecrisis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Reisvoorwaarden_Bonaire_08-08-ENG.png Vaccinated Travelers from the US currently require a NAAT(PCR) test performed within 48 hours of arrival.

The ID NOW test isn't a PCR test. Hence my confusion...

 

[Jcp2]

ID NOW is a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) but is not PCR as there is no thermal cycling but counts as the equivalent to PCR for most entities that distinguish between an antigen test and a molecular nucleic acid test.

 

[tursiops]

According to https://www.bonairecrisis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Reisvoorwaarden_Bonaire_08-08-ENG.png Vaccinated Travelers from the US currently require a NAAT(PCR) test performed within 48 hours of arrival.

The ID NOW test isn't a PCR test. Hence my confusion...

I suggest you don't overthink it. ID NOW is NAAT. They require NAAT. Everybody I know who has arrived here in the last few weeks (myself included) has had ID NOW.

 

[JaminBrown]

I suggest you don't overthink it. ID NOW is NAAT. They require NAAT. Everybody I know who has arrived here in the last few weeks (myself included) has had ID NOW.

Thanks!

 

[JaminBrown]

Because I wanted to make sure, I emailed the Bonaire Health department. Someone is working late and replied. I asked if I could share, and they said yes.

"Thank you for contacting Bonaire public health department.

For entry to Bonaire, a PCR test is required. It can be an Abbot IDNOW test but has to be a PCR(NAAT) test. An RT-PCR is also acceptable. It has to be taken within 48 hours before departure.

Hope to have informed you accordingly."
​

I hope that helps anyone else traveling to Bonaire soon.