Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test
 

Has anyone used this prior to returning to the United States from Europe? I am wondering if there is a wait to have someone help online with administering the test, and how long it takes for the results. We do not want to get stuck waiting hours for someone to come online and wasting time on our last few days in Greece. We will be flying home from Athens on September 30 and I am wondering about the best way to get tested prior to the flight. Thanks for any input you have.

We used this just a few days ago. We were in Iceland and for 5 of us, I brought along 8 kits just in case. We used two laptops so that we could hurry up and get on with the day. This was on Saturday, so just 5 days ago. Anyway, the total time per person is about 25 minutes as you first need to answer a series of questions, then you get logged in with a proctor (we had no wait at all each time, and we had to log in 5 times since there were 5 of us), then they walk you through every step, then it is a 15 minute wait for the results and then a proctor comes back on and goes over the results with you. It was very easy! My kit had a glitch in that the dropper was empty, but instead of opening another kit they just had me use the leftover drops from my husbands kit. We our results immediately posted to the Navica app as well as emailed to us, and those were sufficient at the airport in Iceland. Nobody in the US checked upon our arrival as it was already in the system.

mms, thank you for that. I think I will buy the packet with two tests, one for me and one for my husband. Do you remember the approximate time it was (in the US) when you did it? Or in Iceland (I can just subtract 5 hours). I want to do it when there will be less people logging on for the test.

We used it in France in July with similar results. There was a problem later in July/August with long waits, ie hours according to some folks on Flyertalk but apparently it has been resolved

Yes, I had heard about the long waits and was concerned. Good to know it has been resolved. Thank you.

Thanks for this! I was thinking about this as well but was concerned about the long waits, too.

There's a lot of info over on Trip Advisor regarding these tests. Wait times were a bit slow a few weeks ago, but seems they've improved in the past week or so. I've been monitoring posts regarding the tests as we plan to take them with us to Switzerland later in the month. Glad to hear of the successes here.

Thanks Mel. I will take a look at TA. I never thought to look there for this type of thing.

We did four of the tests about 10am Icelandic time, then the 5th one was after we moved hotels so around 3pm. Absolutely no wait for any of the tests. This was on Saturday.

I just ordered a two pack of the test and it should be here within a couple of days. Thanks to mms, mjs and Melnq8. progol, I think we will be fine but you should order the test now to make sure you get it in time for the trip. My drugstore was sold out. I read that Abbott destroyed a lot of their tests when the Covid rates went down here when people were being vaccinated at high rates. They did not think they would need them, but why they destroyed them is crazy. Anyhow, there is a shortage of tests. I just ordered a two pack from optum.com.
https://store.optum.com/shop/product...est-kit-2-pack
$69.99 for a two-pack, which is all we should need.

So in ordering the 2-pack, it asks for my date of birth. Will that mean that only I can use both the tests or will I be able to set it up for each of us? Or do I have to order 2 separate tests?

I think both of you can use it. My drugstore was selling it until they sold out. You didn’t have to answer questions to buy it there.

Thanks, laurieco. I’ll see if my local drug store has it and, if not, order it today.

I just ordered a six pack from Emed:

https://www.emed.com/

I'm curious as to where on Trip Advisor I can find info about the tests. Nothing comes up in a search and there does not seem to be a category it fits into.

Laurieco— the Iceland forum on trip advisor has a lot of information on these.

I've read somewhere that people also have had to wait a long time, maybe an hour or more, for someone online. In reality, I suppose anything can happen, so I think you had better have a backup plan.

It wouldn't be a special forum on TA< just general posts within a country forums where people might talk about that.

Just now I went to TA Europe forums and just typed "Abbott" into the search box and on the first page of results, maybe half of them clearly are referring to that test. Forums are Frankfurt, Italy, Green and Portugal (first page of results). Tried the same thing using the word Binax and the entire first page of results are about that test.

Yes, I meant there's been several threads about the tests in various forums. Iceland in particular, but also on some of the other Europe forums.

Christina—we did the test 5 days ago with no wait whatsoever. If you read the posts on TA you will see that the long waits were in July and early august. The company has rectified that.

Thanks everyone! As you can tell, I don't know my way around Trip Advisor that well.
Christina, I do have a backup plan, there are places in Athens where we can get a rapid antigen test and I plan on finding out about them when we get there on September 15, and find out if an appointment is necessary for Sept 28, two days before our flight. We get back to Athens on Sept. 27.

BinaxNow Quantity
 

Hello everyone...Binax Customer Service is telling me I have to purchase two per person and must show the names of all in the order form. I was going to purchase the box of 6 for 4 travelers, but there is only room to show 3 on the order form. When I called them, they have advised I must purchase another test for the fourth person because their physician must approve the order. When I read your posts, though, it sounds like not every one is purchasing two tests per person. Any advice and/or experience on this?

Thank you!
Susan

Susan--No, you. can use the kit for whoever. I have purchased two boxes, each of 6 kits. We used one kit for 5 people and I have the other box for 6 people for a trip this winter. We had no issues at all, and from reading others experiences, same thing.

Thank you so much! Really appreciate this forum. Travel is complicated these days--so encouraging to read about folks who are successfully forging ahead! Wishing negative tests and safe passage for all!

I seems odd that you would need two tests per person and could only use it for the person whose name and birthdate is entered on the website. I bought a two pack for both me and DH and was only able to enter one name and birthdate. It seems like Abbott just wants to sell more tests. In any case, I hope the two tests are enough for us. If one of us tests positive, we would then go to a testing center in Athens.

Just to be certain, I posed the question on flyer talk and was told that each test is tied to an account so the two-pack is only good for me. That sucks. mms, perhaps you were able to use only 5 from the first kit because your kids were registered when you purchased the two 6-packs together?

Binax
 

That is what they tell you but pay attention to other peoples’ posts. After three tries at calling in, I did get a more encouraging answer.

When setting up the NAVICA account, when you say you already have a test kit, you have to scan the code on it. I'm worried that we will be in Athens they will say DH cannot use it. Did you specifically speak with someone who told you people not tied to the kit can use it?
I've been reading responses on TA and flyer talk and I'm not finding anything that specifically answers that question, other than the answer to the question I posed. Many of the posts are old and just talk about the long waits.

Hi--I just bought a pack of 6 for my husband and I for Italy as a safeguard. For some reason my husband prefers to do a test at a pharmacy there.

The order form says not to open the tests. But can you open the package and just bring the tests you need? Do we need to bring a computer or iPad? Or can we do these on our iPhones?

Thanks so much!

I just called eMed and spoke to someone who said that the two-pack can be used by both myself and my husband. I feel much better now.

I’ve been trying to find the answer to this, too. Did they explain how to set up 2 separate accounts?

I agree, there’s been no clarity so I’m glad eMed confirmed that it can be used for the 2 of you.. I may just forget about the home test and do it in Naples when we return. The hotel reassured me that there are many pharmacies that do the test and it ends up costing less!

I bought the six pack and registered my name and my husband's. There was space for a third person too. We figure it doesn't hurt to have a spare or two. As we'll be in Switzerland, where I've read tests cost 180 chf each and we'll be in a small town when we need to take them, $150 for six tests seemed a good alternative.

I've read many accounts of people using the tests for others not registered on the NAVICA account but it's certainly not straightforward. Glad to hear eMed agreed that they can be used by other people.

progol, each of you should download the NAVICA app, and set up accounts. You may be able to do it online without downloading the app.

Laurieco—I didn’t register anyone else’s name except my own. People are way overthinking this.

Do not open the kit! They will ask to see it intact and they will scan the box. Just put it in your bag and pull it out when you are about to do the test.

mms - but you can remove the tests from the boxes they're shipped in, no?

The hard cardboard shipping box, yes, but not the blue boxes with the white sliding thing over the box.

Figured as much, but had to ask. Thanks.

Good to know, thanks.

Using emed to fly out , not in?
 

Hello , did anyone use it on the way out of the country? We were flying to Italy. Lufhanza and Italy are not requiring any Covid test for vaccinated travellers We are planning to do emed just in case. Any one tried the test on the way out of the country ?

Currently if you are traveling from the USA to Italy you need both vaccination and a negative antigen or PCR test. The last official EU list of approved Antigen tests did not include the Abbott test as of this spring.

I recently documented my (positive) experience with the similar Qured tests to fly home from Spain. You should be able to find the thread by clicking on my username.

I hope this helps!