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COVID test for flying home from Porto - pharmacy or self-admin?

Posted by on

Hey everyone,

We will be travelling to Portugal next month and are looking for some advice about the COVID test needed for our flight home. Our flight is at 6am, which is before the airport COVID test location opens so we can't use that option. We're trying to decide between getting an antigen test at a pharmacy the day before our flights, or to do one of those self-administered tests with the video call. Any recommendations? The self-administered obviously sounds easier, but I've heard it's been hit or miss with long wait times to get on the video call.

Posted by
1555 posts

Why would you cut it so close? The US requirement is 3 days before arriving in the US. You have plenty of time rather than leaving it for the last minute. I would get it done at least 2 days before your return flight and get the peace of mind that comes with the negative result.

If you take care of it a couple of days before, you can go either route - pharmacy or self admin. It doesn't have to be at the airport.

Posted by
763 posts

We had a Monday morning flight and the pharmacy near our apartment was closed on Sunday. We went Saturday evening, did the test, got the appropriate paperwork and that was it. Make it easy on yourself--it was 30 minutes start to finish.

Posted by
1 posts

Wanderlust....I am curious if you needed an appointment for your test. I have been trying to do it online but so far no luck.

Posted by
15 posts

We purchased a 6 pack of Binax AG Card observed kits from emed.com before we left and did them the night before we were leaving. It look about half an hour to do each test, as you have to wait for the card results for 15 minutes. Results were emailed to us within 15 minutes. That worked very well for us and although we had to haul them around with us the whole time, it gave us peace of mind they would be accepted by the airline and we didn't have to find something while there.

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