If you have to travel, where should you get PCR and antigen tests? How much?

With Joe Biden’s assumption of power in the United States, one of the first provisions required a negative coronavirus test to enter the North American nation.

This Tuesday, a not inconsiderable group of people who were preparing to board their flights to the United States were prevented from traveling because they did not have a negative COVID-19 test on hand.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of that country requests a C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test or an antigen test for passengers two years and older 72 hours before the trip.

The laboratories and health centers that offer the COVID-19 test in their catalog of services is the Amadita laboratory, which performs antigens for COVID for travel purposes, which is delivered two to four hours after taking the sample, with a cost of 1,995 pesos. This does not require a medical indication and is not covered by insurers.

Amadita does the PCR with a medical indication. It must be done through the application, the website, or the laboratory’s WhatsApp to request it. After taking the sample, they deliver the results in 24 or 72 hours.

The newspaper HOY contacted the Reference laboratory, which will have the availability of tests for travelers in all branches tomorrow, without prior appointment, just by presenting the printed flight itinerary.

The tests included in this laboratory catalog are PCR, COVID Express PCR, and antigens, with amounts of 4,300, 5,000, and 1,750, respectively, with results between two and 48 hours.

In the Advanced Medicine and Telemedicine Diagnostic Center (Cedimat), the PCR test in blood has a cost of 2,500 pesos, giving the result between five and seven days. The PCR with swab has a value of 4,500, whose delivery is two to three days. According to a receptionist at that institution, health insurers cover this test, and the price may vary, depending on the insurance.

In the case of antigen tests, they cost 1,800 pesos, without insurance. To take one of the tests, you must go to a consultation at Cedimat.

In the Cruz Jiminián Clinic, the insurance has 100% coverage in PCR tests. If you are not insured, this test’s cost is 4,300 pesos. However, the fast one costs 1,500 pesos, with hours from 6:00 in the morning, from Monday to Saturday.

The antigen test at Profamilia Clínica Dra.

Evangelina Rodríguez, located in Nicolás de Ovando, has the antigen test available for 1,900 pesos. This health center requires an indication.

This is also available with a swab at the National Polyclinic Center for 2,000 pesos and does not require an indication.

What you should know about testing. According to the pulmonologist Fiolkis Familia, who works at the Dr. Ramón de Lara Military Teaching Hospital, rapid tests are performed on a membrane using a blood sample. They are called rapid tests because the results are delivered between five and 15 minutes.

If immunoglobulin G is positive, it means that the person was in contact with COVID-19, and if immunoglobulin M tests positive, it means that the person has the virus present.

However, the antigen test is more accurate and gives quantitative results; they are expressed in numbers. A blood sample is also taken.

According to Familia, PCR is the most accurate of all and is performed by nasal swab or saliva.