Where to get a pre-flight COVID-19 test?

[jaseb]

Flying to Fiji on 2nd January. Have booked in and paid for a "Real Time PCR test" with QML Pathology (via Healius) on the 30th December - 72 hours before departure date. We are a little spooked that test results might not get to us in time given the public holiday in between and large amount of tests currently in backlog.

 

[PineappleSkip]

There is precedence in the Medicare schedule for priority Covid testing
Item number 69501 is paid at a higher level - it was brought in to prioritise testing (gets ahead of queue) for:
- age care workers Victoria
- interstate rail or truck drivers

Might be multiple levels of priority. When NSW Health notified me that I was a close contact of a variant of concern one of the instructions was to immediately get my day 1 test, tell the facility to mark the test as urgent, and show them the SMS message. Interesting but it was already day 2 and I’d done my day 1 test.

cheers skip

 

[anchew]

Just did a rapid test at MEL for QF93 dep 22:55. Arrived at 17:00 and got tested around 19:15, so a 2:15hr wait. Test came through at around 19:35, so around 20 min.

 

[Quickstatus]

test as urgent

That’s what my close contact friend was told to do as well.

However now waiting for 5.5 days

 

[Grimace1]

Has anyone had a PCR test done at a SNP collection centre in QLD recently? How long did the results take to come back? I'm due to have mine Friday morning to fly Saturday evening.

I've taken several home tests recently and the most recent one tonight was negative but always worried the Friday one will be positive

 

[robynb]

Flying to Fiji on 2nd January. Have booked in and paid for a "Real Time PCR test" with QML Pathology (via Healius) on the 30th December - 72 hours before departure date. We are a little spooked that test results might not get to us in time given the public holiday in between and large amount of tests currently in backlog.

As of 1 Jan, Fiji require a test taken within two calendar days of flying - Fiji Travel - Ministry of Commerce Trade Tourism and Transport - I think the 30th will be classified as 3 calendar days before. (I'm also travelling to Fiji (transit) then onto HNL so require a test ONE calendar day prior).

 

[straitman]

I am not sure if we are currently sad, frustrated or angry. The current Covid testing situation in Australia (especially Victoria) means we must at least consider cancelling our trip in 10 days.

From Jan 1st Fiji require a negative PCR test in the 2 days before travel and results are now so slow that there is no guarantee of that.

The best option was Histopath at the airport but they will now only test on the day of travel. They open at 0600 and we have an 0800 flight so that doesn't work. No one else, currently, can guarantee the 2 day turn around.

The whole thing is one monumental mess at the moment. We have family members who arrived from Europe on Monday last week and 3 of 4 still don't have results.

They are required to have a second test at 6 +/- 1 days (after arrival) and cannot get that done as places are either closed or they are turned away due to too many people.

 

[straitman]

As of 1 Jan, Fiji require a test taken within two calendar days of flying - Fiji Travel - Ministry of Commerce Trade Tourism and Transport - I think the 30th will be classified as 3 calendar days before. (I'm also travelling to Fiji (transit) then onto HNL so require a test ONE calendar day prior).

Welcome to AFF.

What flight are you travelling on?

 

[serfty]

The best option was Histopath at the airport but they will now only test on the day of travel. They open at 0600 and we have an 0800 flight so that doesn't work. No one else, currently, can guarantee the 2 day turn around.

Airport histopaths have clarified ... it is now 24 hours before. Supposedly it always was meant to be but that got lost in translation.

 

[straitman]

Airport histolathhave clarified ... it is now 24

This is currently showing on their web page. (Though I hope it's wrong and you are right)

Due to unprecedented demand, our express pre-departure testing at Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne International airports are now only available on the day of departure. Passengers must show evidence of flight details in order to be accepted for testing.
Please arrive at least 4 or 5 hours prior to check in time.
‍

 

[serfty]

See here from facebook (HFC):

 

[straitman]

See here from facebook (HFC):

View attachment 267912

Thanks serfty. (I missed that on HFC)

Maybe, just maybe they should update their website.

Trouble is that it's then a bit late if they suddenly say no.

 

[robynb]

Welcome to AFF.

What flight are you travelling on?

Thanks for the welcome we're on FJ920 and I'm stressing a fair bit however we went into the airport (BNE) yesterday and spoke to the FJ cust service staff. There arent many on our flight, which is the first flight of the day (11.50am) - Histopath opens at 8am here in Brissy - FJ staff advised that theres usually people waiting before they open. Worst case can be someone turns up positive and they have to close the testing for an hour or so for cleaning. I think they should prioritise people 100% based on the flight and destinations requirements. I'm flying on the 2nd Jan - not many centres open that do rapid PCR's on thge 1st Jan so I really have no other option.

 

[straitman]

Thanks for the welcome we're on FJ920 and I'm stressing a fair bit however we went into the airport (BNE) yesterday and spoke to the FJ cust service staff. There arent many on our flight, which is the first flight of the day (11.50am) - Histopath opens at 8am here in Brissy - FJ staff advised that theres usually people waiting before they open. Worst case can be someone turns up positive and they have to close the testing for an hour or so for cleaning. I think they should prioritise people 100% based on the flight and destinations requirements. I'm flying on the 2nd Jan - not many centres open that do rapid PCR's on thge 1st Jan so I really have no other option.

We were going to Fiji on 3rd Jan but changed it to the 8th due to the testing issues amongst other things.

 

[robynb]

We were going to Fiji on 3rd Jan but changed it to the 8th due to the testing issues amongst other things.

We're only transiting NAN and going onto HNL (one flight per week). ha! So if we dont get our results in time we miss out on the whole holiday. Well - actually it could be fun haha as long as I dont book that darn non-refundable timeshare prior. Told the teens it will be fun - we will be at ath international airport and decide there and then where we want to go for the week.

 

[N860CR]

If anyone is absolutely desperate (and I’ve only been advocating this for friends/family so far, but it is getting insane), histopath at the airport only need to see a travel itinerary with a booking reference for travel within 24 hours. It’s not at all hard for a licensed travel agent to produce this. That’s the level of crazy this has reached!

 

[anchew]

If anyone is absolutely desperate (and I’ve only been advocating this for friends/family so far, but it is getting insane), histopath at the airport only need to see a travel itinerary with a booking reference for travel within 24 hours. It’s not at all hard for a licensed travel agent to produce this. That’s the level of crazy this has reached!

When I did mine in Melbourne on 27th, they just asked me what time my flight was when joining the line, but didn't need me to show anything to verify.

 

[robynb]

Damned if you do and damned if you dont. If selfish people do the wrong thing they will use up the testing time for those that may need it to check in on their flight for that day. Simpler - and most appropriate thing to do is surely to get tested as soon as you can withn the time period allotted for your destination. I'd be pretty pissed off if someone travelling to a destination that only required a test within 72 hours took my spot in the line when I required a test one day prior (and the day prior was New Years Day where pretty much no where is open).

 

[jaseb]

Thanks for the welcome we're on FJ920 and I'm stressing a fair bit however we went into the airport (BNE) yesterday and spoke to the FJ cust service staff. There arent many on our flight, which is the first flight of the day (11.50am) - Histopath opens at 8am here in Brissy - FJ staff advised that theres usually people waiting before they open. Worst case can be someone turns up positive and they have to close the testing for an hour or so for cleaning. I think they should prioritise people 100% based on the flight and destinations requirements. I'm flying on the 2nd Jan - not many centres open that do rapid PCR's on thge 1st Jan so I really have no other option.

We are on the same flight.
Looking at the testing location at BNE International, if I'm not mistaken it appears that the testing clinic is behind customs/immigration control.
Because of this I assume we will not be able to visit the testing site the day before our flight - given I wouldn't think customs/immigration would let us through the checkpoint if we don't have a flight on that day?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

FWIW my US friend has opted for COVID-19 Test for Travel | Accredited Testing day before flt