There are mail-in PCR options, including Vault in the US, which people have been using for PCR destinations like Hawaii was until recently, as well as ones in the UK that many are using for the required "day 2 arrivals" testing.

Keep in mind for some countries (Greece comes to mind) the time is from your arrival time not departure. Though they currently at this moment only require testing for unvaccinated.

Not only that, but there is a movement away from antigen tests in general, so past acceptance (of antigen tests) means nothing. If traveling overseas, do not rely on an antigen test to pass entry requirements. Presently the only thing they are absolutely good for is entry back into the US, and as I said in another post, that could change if the US and EU come to terms and adopt a common standard for entry (full vaccination + PCR test within 72hr of departure would be the obvious choice).

Sorry, should have clarified that the PCR test I booked for myself is not of the rapid variety. Incidentally it had been reported that the Binax test was suitable for transiting the UK (though I also know that the UK != EU) is that no longer the case?

There have been a number of reports on FT from people successfully using the proctored Binax tests for entry into the EU and UK.

Yes, I'm interested in this too, as I'm (hopefully) heading to the UK in 10 days. Would love to be able to use the proctored Binax test for UK entry, as I had to buy 6 of them! - I understand that I can..

I've done 3 trips since June and each time I got the PCR test at Walgreens or Rite Aid by my home. Both drive in, no cost, didn't have to present an insurance card.

Results take 2 or 3 days. In fact I didn't get results until I'd arrived. Except for the first trip in June to Spain and France, I didn't need to have a test in addition to my vaccine CDC card. But I took them anyways, easy to do, no cost.

Walgreens doesn't offer the antigen tests in the Bay Area for some reason.

There are now testing labs at SFO and SJC which will do antigen or rapid PCR tests but they cost over $100 and up. I tried to check them for prices but you can't get anyone on the phone or respond by email. You have to go through the booking process, almost finalize it, before they hit you up for money.

Yeah it would be nice to have antigen tests offered at pharmacies like they have them in the EU, for around 25 Euros.

Good plan to bring extras! I took all 6 for 3 of us 2 weeks ago and one was defective so glad to have a back-up! Just got confirmation from eMed that they are replacing all 6 for the inconvenience. Be careful on the outbound though, not all countries will take the rapid test results...

However, many of the tests that are quick/cheap/readily available are antigen. For places and events that require a recent negative test, as a practical matter, antigen would make more sense even if it's less accurate. We don't have unlimited PCR testing resources.

Meanwhile, within the USA, I haven't yet noticed any testing requirements for schools, sports teams, etc. that specify PCR tests, although my impression is that sports teams would confirm positive antigen tests with PCR tests.

Tough to see how a mail-in test could fit the requirements. Whether mailed-in or otherwise, the test has to take place within 72 hours of departure. That's playing one heck of a gamble on "mail" to get to the lab in time to do the tests and get results back to you.

OK, I looked up mail-in PCR tests and couldn't find any that are meant for pre-travel requirements. From the website of one of them- Or from Vault- Clearly not useful for the timeframe needed for travel requirements. It is something you can successfully perform from home, but the time until you get results will be the time spent "in the mail" plus 24-48 hours at the lab.

I read this also. I will be in Switzerland 11 days prior to entering Italy and the US prior to that. It appears I would not need a test along with my vaxx card. I suspect I�ll get one in Switzerland to cover all bases, but this makes it sound unnecessary.

https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/am...in-italia.html

Very clear here ... You must have both

Vault is a saliva test that you drop off at a UPS office for delivery to a Vault lab facility.

Obviously it shouldn't work for any place that requires a nasal sample.

Can you please highlight what I�m missing there? It looks to be about entry from US. I�m entering from a stay in Switzerland.
The page you and I highlighted was specific to entering from other countries, but having been in the US in the last 14 days.

But it doesn't matter what makes sense. We're way past that. All that matters is that there's a dynamic that's moving away from countries accepting the antigen test. It's fact not conjecture. It also matters that things are changing in real time, while people are traveling, sometimes without warning. If you can get a sense of where things are going and anticipate what might happen, you can protect yourself.

There's a recent thread in a Gate1 travel group where a woman was transiting through CDG and the airline refused to board her for the flight to CDG because they said CDG had implemented a requirement for transit passengers for a PCR test. Note that I haven't found reference to than on the CDG website. The passenger experience right now is being dictated by a combination of fact, fiction and presumption. We can still try and plan for that and there's nothing further an airline or country can do (in terms of entry requirements), short of quarantine and outright refusal, beyond a PCR test taken within 72 hours.