rmgood

I will be returning to the U.S. in a few days. U.S. documents say i will need a "viral" Covid 19 test. On Warsaw CV19 pages, they offer two tests; Rapid Antigen and PCR; this says nothing about "viral".
Help, which test do i Need??

janisj

Either sort of test is fine -- antigen tests are cheaper and have faster results.

J62

I believe you cannot just use a self administered rapid antigen test - the kind you get OTC in the US.

Isn’t there a requirement for that test to be proctored / officiated / whatever the word is, with documentation?

Melnq8

Yes, must be proctored.

janisj

I didn't say self-administered . . . I merely said antigen test. I've had antigen tests three times (twice in the UK and once in the States) all done in person. Even though others have successfully used proctored on-line tests, I personally would have the test either at the departure airport, or in person at a testing center/clinic.

november_moon

Here's a link to the CDC web site with all the details:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...travelers.html

Essentially, you need a test within 1 day of travel, and it can be the rapid antigen test. You can go to a pharmacy or testing center for the test or use a proctored self-test.
When we returned from France last week, we got our antigen tests at a pharmacy and it was really easy - 20 euro and we had test results within 30 minutes. In France, the tests are administered at most pharmacies.

I would get the test at a pharmacy or testing center in Warsaw the day before travel rather than waiting to get to the airport to do the test on the travel day. I think it is easier that way - and if you happen to test positive and need to quarantine, you haven't schlepped all the way out to the airport and aren't having to scramble last minute to change flights, find lodging, etc.

Christina

A viral test is a test that you currently have that virus in an active infection and it can be detected, that's all. There are various methodologies to do that, antigen and PCR are the terms used most often in the US. NAAT is sometimes used which is broader (PCR is one type of NAAT testing methodology but not the only one).

This is by distinction to an antibody test which doesn't mean anything but you had it sometime in the past and can't be used for travel purposes to indicate current status.