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Old Apr 7, 2022, 5:12 pm
  #1  
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Question AKL Covid predeparture testing site for US travel

Sorry if this is been asked and answered but I can't find it in the Covid forum or here. Please point me to where I should ask if my question does not belong here.

I'll be traveling to SFO next month and current requirements include a negative Covid test within 24 hours of departure. I'll driving down from Far North. Does anyone here have experience with a testing location at or near AKL that offer a rapid test and documentation?
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Old Apr 7, 2022, 7:01 pm
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I used this guy.https://www.mycovidtest.co.nz/ $149 cheap and easy to get appointment. (Harbour building in Auckland) My son used https://travelclinic.co.nz/ in Rosedale. Expensive but parking outside. This was for RAT.
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Old Apr 7, 2022, 9:22 pm
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Originally Posted by wrenz
Sorry if this is been asked and answered but I can't find it in the Covid forum or here. Please point me to where I should ask if my question does not belong here.

I'll be traveling to SFO next month and current requirements include a negative Covid test within 24 hours of departure. I'll driving down from Far North. Does anyone here have experience with a testing location at or near AKL that offer a rapid test and documentation?
Several in Auckland, including at the airport. And Whangarei. Phone them to enquire about 24 hr requirement. Unsure if they do
https://www.rakoscience.com/
https://www.rakoscience.com/locations

And https://testtotravel.co.nz/find-a-testing-clinic/

Last edited by Mwenenzi; Apr 7, 2022 at 9:31 pm
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Old Apr 7, 2022, 10:49 pm
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Plenty of pharmacies offer suoervised RATs ranging from about $35 up to about $90

I know a couple of people who have used chemist warehouse at the airport retail park which charges $49.99 (all sites are this price).
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Old Apr 8, 2022, 12:29 pm
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Originally Posted by sbiddle
Plenty of pharmacies offer suoervised RATs ranging from about $35 up to about $90

I know a couple of people who have used chemist warehouse at the airport retail park which charges $49.99 (all sites are this price).
Thank you for this suggestion. Amazing price differentials. That's a great price. Will be nice when countries stop this requirement.

Thanks also to the others with their options.
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Old Apr 8, 2022, 3:10 pm
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Originally Posted by wrenz
Thank you for this suggestion. Amazing price differentials. That's a great price.
Will be nice when countries stop this requirement.
Thanks also to the others with their options.
AU will from the 18 April A good portion of current travel from NZ will be to AU
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Old Apr 9, 2022, 7:32 pm
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I just came back from a trip to the US, and here's a few things I noted:
  • The US requirement is one calendar day, rather than 24 hours. I got mine done the morning of the day before my evening flight to the US, so about 34 hours before leaving NZ.
  • I got the test done at a UniChem a short walk from my home. You do need to book in advance, but it was quick and easy. You'll need your passport for the test.
  • Don't forget to fill out the attestation, they need this and the test results (and vaccine proof, etc).
The requirements to come back are a bit more annoying.
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Old Apr 10, 2022, 12:29 am
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Originally Posted by amc184
I just came back from a trip to the US, and here's a few things I noted:
  • The US requirement is one calendar day, rather than 24 hours. I got mine done the morning of the day before my evening flight to the US, so about 34 hours before leaving NZ.
  • I got the test done at a UniChem a short walk from my home. You do need to book in advance, but it was quick and easy. You'll need your passport for the test.
  • Don't forget to fill out the attestation, they need this and the test results (and vaccine proof, etc).
The requirements to come back are a bit more annoying.
Thanks for the report. I am off to the US for a week in Jun and had wondered whether to do the test on the day of departure or day prior, given the evening departure.

My return from the US East coast is more problematic as I have 6 hour transit in LAX so only have 9am-10am on the day of travel if I want a RAT before heading out to the airport for my noon flight.

This assessment is based on the new Traveller Pass requirement that the RAT is conducted within 24 hours for the first international departure - so I have assumed that the trans-con flight can’t be counted. This might require an expensive PCR the day before.

Extract below:

Most travellers entering New Zealand must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 result from one of these tests:
  • a supervised rapid antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours of the scheduled departure of your first international flight to New Zealand, or
    • a supervised loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test within 24 hours of the scheduled departure of your first international flight to New Zealand, or
      • a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test administered within 48 hours of the scheduled departure of your first international flight to New Zealand.

    Last edited by Thai-Kiwi; Apr 10, 2022 at 12:35 am
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    Old Apr 10, 2022, 12:58 am
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    Originally Posted by Thai-Kiwi
    ...
    This assessment is based on the new Traveller Pass requirement that the RAT is conducted within 24 hours for the first international departure - so I have assumed that the trans-con flight can’t be counted. This might require an expensive PCR the day before.
    Look here for more info (multi leg trip)
    post 259 New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 [was Soft closing of NZ Border]
    post 263 -->New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 [was Soft closing of NZ Border]

    As not directly related to Air NZ, better asked in the NZ CV19 thread
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    Old Apr 10, 2022, 2:23 am
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    Originally Posted by Mwenenzi
    Look here for more info (multi leg trip)
    post 259 New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 [was Soft closing of NZ Border]
    post 263 -->New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 [was Soft closing of NZ Border]

    As not directly related to Air NZ, better asked in the NZ CV19 thread
    Cheers for the links. I considered it relevant as it relates to flights on NZ6/5 (accepting the flight numbers were not stated).
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    Old Apr 10, 2022, 2:31 am
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    Originally Posted by Thai-Kiwi
    Cheers for the links. I considered it relevant as it relates to flights on NZ6/5 (accepting the flight numbers were not stated).
    The NZ govt rules are not dependent on flight number/airline
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    Old Apr 13, 2022, 5:41 pm
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    Am flying out tonight to NY via LAX. I used http://www.allclear.nz/c19 for a home-based RAT test. Booked it last week, they came bang on-time to my house (still working remotely), and I had my result from them in 15 minutes. Your man submitted my materials electronically and I got my certificate in a few minutes to my email. I think it was around $150, but very very convenient. Now if only I could get the bloody IATA Travel Pass to accept the $%## test certificate. Tried QR code, taking a photo and saving the file to my device. Won't allow uploading a PDF, alas either.

    For my flight back, the 24 hour rule for NZ5 is a royal pain from NYC (suburban Long Island, more precisely). The 48 hour window for PCR is too narrow. I'm flying on a Sunday, so the options are limited. There's one RAT provider nearby, which does not allow pre-booking so I'll be queuing up on Sunday morning when they open. The sole chemist that does testing doesn't do RATs. Really really annoying.
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    Old Apr 19, 2022, 8:38 pm
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    Originally Posted by jawnbc
    Am flying out tonight to NY via LAX. I used http://www.allclear.nz/c19 for a home-based RAT test. Booked it last week, they came bang on-time to my house (still working remotely), and I had my result from them in 15 minutes. Your man submitted my materials electronically and I got my certificate in a few minutes to my email. I think it was around $150, but very very convenient. Now if only I could get the bloody IATA Travel Pass to accept the $%## test certificate. Tried QR code, taking a photo and saving the file to my device. Won't allow uploading a PDF, alas either.

    For my flight back, the 24 hour rule for NZ5 is a royal pain from NYC (suburban Long Island, more precisely). The 48 hour window for PCR is too narrow. I'm flying on a Sunday, so the options are limited. There's one RAT provider nearby, which does not allow pre-booking so I'll be queuing up on Sunday morning when they open. The sole chemist that does testing doesn't do RATs. Really really annoying.
    We are flying out to AKL from EWR at the end of the month. I am planning to get my PCR done at Walgreens which has a 1-2 day turnaround (so it is within the 48 hours).
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    Old Apr 19, 2022, 9:54 pm
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    Originally Posted by pigzilla
    We are flying out to AKL from EWR at the end of the month. I am planning to get my PCR done at Walgreens which has a 1-2 day turnaround (so it is within the 48 hours).
    Will that be within timeline for the departure from first international departure from LAX/SFO?
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    Old Apr 19, 2022, 10:21 pm
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    Originally Posted by Thai-Kiwi
    Will that be within timeline for the departure from first international departure from LAX/SFO?
    If it is closer to the 1 day mark, then yes I have heard anecdotally that with case loads being low right now, results are coming back under 24 hours.
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