It seems like the testing will be changing...

As I mentioned back on the 12th of June, the airport testing could result in a logistical nightmare. Well, it has. Minister Tufton stated in the Observer:

“The numbers are growing, and we just don’t have the physical capacity to deal with the increase. The people (medical personnel) are burnt out and stretched while the equipment goes on down time.”


As we approach Phase 2, it will probably be necessary to implement "pre-testing" done within so many hours of boarding the plane.

There has also been misinformation presented by the medical personnel at the airport to quarantine in your room. Dr. Tufton said that he did not expect any visitor to stay quarantined in their room for days and that hotel managers should handle the situation by allowing them to quarantine on the property.

Pre-testing would eliminate all these issues, there wouldn't be any quarantine wait time, so look for that announcement soon.

Just seems like another cost to make a reach. I received an email the other day from QuestDiagnostics (a national lab) for covid-19 testing for $119. Any idea how soon before we leave for jamaica that the test has to be completed Rob? I'm not sure how fast the turn around time is for a covid test these days...

No news yet...

My Florida Physician told mi last Friday that LabCorp and QuestDiagnostics take a week to get the test results back to them...
if you are going in for surgery you can get results in a couple days but nobody going in for surgery would be heading to Jamaica...

my Florida Physician actually is arriving for her Jamaica vacation next week at the Hyatt if she doesn't cancel/change....
Bahamas is allowing Covid19 results within 10 days of landing.....which would work with the LapCorp and Quest testing.......
anything less and there will be lots and lots of Florida visitors and other Americans canceling reservations this Summer.....

Cool Runnings, Marko

I work in a health care facility and it is taking lab Corp at least 3-4 days to get results back, plus if you have an early flight or a weekend flight that would add another day to it as you would have to have the results back the day before you leave. 72 hours before landing will not work, it will have to be a week at the minimum.

I'm listening to PM Holness right now and pre-testing is in effect July 10th. Visitors will have to upload a test result valid 7 days days prior to arrival to the visit jamaica site. What I am not clear is if it is all American's or just the states he mentioned (Florida, Texas and Arizona) - Tufton is supposed to be releasing a list shortly. I'm good with getting tested prior but concerned with the turn around time. Labs are saying 3 -5 days for results but can take longer.

Question was just asked if all of US - PM said list of states were determined based on increase of cases and rate of infection. I'm coming from Maryland and still plan to pre-test but I won't stress with having to upload my results.

We are scheduled to arrive 1st week in August . Even if they were still testing upon arrival at the airport , we would not even begin to get on our flight without having passed testing from our local physician scheduled as closely as we are able prior to flying. Would not dream of flying without knowing we've done everything possible on our part to be as safe as we can be. Appreciate this info very much.

At this point, things are still changing so rapidly that worrying about what the procedures will be like more than two weeks from now is pretty pointless. Look at what we've heard about, and from the authorities in, Florida, Texas, and Arizona over the past 30 days. Review the reports on the Abbott Labs rapid test, which at the end of April was reported as a game-changer that would make it easy to get results in 15 minutes, and now the FDA is being asked why that test is still approved as it's so inaccurate.

And yes, Marko, I'm very sure that there will be lots and lots of Florida visitors and other Americans canceling reservations this summer. Florida is closing some beaches for the upcoming July 4 weekend. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Disney World did not reopen on July 11 as currently scheduled. Plans were made based on assumptions that have proved false.

Stay calm and be flexible. If your life situation doesn't let you be flexible, don't make non-refundable deposits.

I listened to the press conference. What about people transiting through one of those states, but not from there?Would they need to pretest? Lots of layovers in JFK and MIA.