For those of you who used the eMed Binax NOW “at-home” test to return back to the US, how was the experience? It doesn’t appear that you can schedule a test - I guess you just scan it and jump on? Was there a queue to wait in?
Posted by
Asheville, NC
196 posts
I have used eMed several times. You're right, you just log on and wait for a technician. It's never taken more than two minutes for someone to connect with me. They do want to see your ID, so have that ready. It has been easy every time.
Posted by
Indiana
973 posts
Someone posted a video to watch of a couple taking it for the first time. That was helpful. It’s not terribly difficult, but it was nice having my family watch and help me through it. I was the Guinea pig. I bought an iPhone stand which helped.
Make sure you download the NAVICA app while in the U.S. Emed is the site you take your test, but result are sent to NAVICA.
You log into Emed, and there will be a an instruction to click “start test”. You them will be asked several questions. Once you answer them all, then a proctor shows up. We were all first in line, no wait. There is a small window where you can see yourself, like a zoom call, but you can’t see them. I have difficulty hearing and wear heating aids. Plus, mine had a foreign accent which made it a bit more tricky for me. But my family was there to “hear”. Have your ID ready. Anytime they need to scan something, you have to hold it around the phone where the camera is. That’s where I found the iPhone stand helpful.
They’ll take you step by step on what to open and what to do. They are fairly strict about seeing it all. My stand didn’t have a strap to hold it, nor did it bend forward enough, so my husband had to hold it forward sometimes so the proctor could see. After I was finished, they make you hold the phone forward to see the test sit there undisturbed for 15 minutes. My husband held the phone forward, but had the stand to lean the bottom against.
After 15 minutes are up, there is something to click like, “I’m done”. Not sure exactly what it said, but you need to click it. Another proctor comes on and has you hold the results up around the back again, and asks you a few questions. It’s like a pregnancy test, so you know during the 15 minute wait what it is. After he officially announces your results. It’s over and you’ll get your results via mail.
Hope this wasn’t too confusing and helps.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
2745 posts
I’ve done it about four times I had to wait once for about 10 minutes but that’s the longest I’ve ever had to wait. I’m pretty sure the proctors are in the Philippines
Posted by
Boston, MA
1829 posts
The wait is never long
I have done them many times (6 total counting tests for others)
The 2 negatives are:
You need a strong wifi connection, every time I have connected there is a lag or some sort of minor connection problem which causes stress
If you get disconnected mid test you are screwed so many want to bring an extra test just in case
Which brings up the 2nd negative
The tests are fairly bulky to pack with you
Otherwise very convenient to get it done on your schedule in your own hotel room
Posted by
Arizona
121 posts
We just got back from Italy and had planned on taking the above mentioned tests with us but we did not have room to pack them. We just take a carry on suitcase and backpack each. We flew home from Rome and it was very easy to get tested there. Our hotel recommended a nearby pharmacy that did not require appointments. It took us a total of thirty minutes to get the whole thing done including the walk to the pharmacy. Luckily we were negative and they gave us a paper copy of the results with a QR code that we easily uploaded to Verifly. It was a snap.
Posted by
OP
St. Louis
11 posts
Thank you all for the replies - this has been very helpful!
Posted by
117 posts
It went well for us with almost no wait time. I did a screen shot of the results and was able to upload it to the United app and check-in online.
Also in our case, with 3 different tests, it did not matter that the boxes were pretty crushed and beat up after traveling around Italy for 3 weeks. They verified the date from the box but did not have us hold it up to examine it. I believe the control is that once you open the big blue box, the actual test card is in a sealed packet. They watch you open that, and hold it up to the camera for a scan. Then they watch you swab and insert the sample. Of course, don't open the blue box before the test, but if the box is beat up, I would go ahead and give it a try. And it would be nice if Binax would design a smaller package. :)
Posted by
Berkeley CA
50 posts
I just learned about these - we'll pack two
This is one place to buy them, anywhere else people recommend?
https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-emed-at-home-test-kit-2-pack
Ira
PS
If you're doing tests locally before you fly home, check for national holidays. We planned our tests for 1 Nov 2022 in Venice ... and that's All-Saints day so went all the way to the airport to get tests done since all the local places were closed
Posted by
Fairfax, VA
763 posts
Make sure you have a very strong wifi connection. We lost a wifi connection literally half way through the test and had to do all kinds of dancing around getting a new technician to accept the story and let us pick up where we got cut off. In the end, it worked out fine, but not without some serious anxiety.