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Covid testing FCO - A little stress

Phew, we tested negative, but what a stressful way to end a month in Italy.

Once we learned we couldn't test in Spello, we looked at FCO testing and our prebooked train and realized we'd only have about two hours to test before they shut down for the day at 1600 the day before our flight. So, rather than the noonish train, we bagged our tickets and bought new tickets for 0630 instead to make sure we had time for however the testing took.

Testing in terminal 3 is easy to find, but plenty of what-the-heck-do-we-do-now. No info, fill out a tablet screen, get in line, grab one, two, three, four forms each. Find test a reservation number on our cell phones, figure what test (antigen or pcr), sign forms, agree to be lodged at 98euros a night if positive, get in line again, pay and wait, get tested and wait, and if lucky, negative.

About an hour all told. But, jeez, stress.

Posted by
3950 posts

SamA that does sound stressful. Do you know anything more about what and where and how long the lodging for 98€ (each?) would involve? I’m so glad you tested - so you didn’t have to personally experience this other unpleasant aspect to Covid travel.

Posted by
90 posts

Oof, that does indeed sound incredibly stressful. Glad you tested negative!

Posted by
105 posts

Positives would be offered transport to a Sheraton, if they didn't have appropriate quarantine housing. Fortunately, I didn't have to learn any of the details about where that was or for how long.

Sorry it was so stressful. I had a similar last day in Greece when all the pharmacies were closed because it was Greek Independence day. Luckily I had brought home proctored test kits but it was a hellacious last day.

Posted by
1159 posts

We highly recommend you purchase the Abbott BINAX Now proctored tests before leaving. They are so easy, and you can test from your hotel room the day before. You just download the Navica app before leaving. Take the tests with you un-opened, and when you are ready to test, make the call through your app and a proctor watches you take the test from your phone. In 15 minutes we had our results uploaded to our phone app, and emailed a certificate to us as well, which we uploaded to our Ready to Fly portal for our airline. We also printed at the hotel a copy of the certificate. It was that easy and took a lot of stress away as you mentioned above. Highly recommend this service.

Posted by
105 posts

One suggestion to those heading out - pack an extra 10 days or so of any meds you might need to get you through any "positive" test that might delay your return home.