Alaska travel

keller

WKR
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
630
Location
wi
That's what the county told us to do
.i was out of work and my wife's work paid her on quarantine. So no skin off of my hide.but It was total bullshit !!
 

Trial153

WKR
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Messages
8,187
Location
NY
Got though in Fairbanks no problems.
Some updates. Now in Fairbanks they are requiring you to create an account on line. You will up load your results. They would not take take paper forms, they had people waiting at the gate telling you to stop and fill it out on line before proceeding to check point. I was given a heads up by a friendly flight attendant in Seattle. I have the account all set up and everything filled out...went to the check point and they pull up your results and let you through.
With a catch....if you staying more then 14 days you get a voucher for another test....

Here is the link for the portal
 

Trial153

WKR
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Messages
8,187
Location
NY
Just to reiterate, they throughly checked the dates on the up loaded docs, they were also making sure all NR went through the check points. This was at Fairbanks, not sure how every place else is.

My buddy came in on the next ALaska airline flight two hours later and he had the same experience. I am heading over to get him now...

Have your shit all together.
 

Indyal

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 15, 2020
Messages
146
Got though in Fairbanks no problems.
Some updates. Now in Fairbanks they are requiring you to create an account on line. You will up load your results. They would not take take paper forms, they had people waiting at the gate telling you to stop and fill it out on line before proceeding to check point. I was given a heads up by a friendly flight attendant in Seattle. I have the account all set up and everything filled out...went to the check point and they pull up your results and let you through.
With a catch....if you staying more then 14 days you get a voucher for another test....

Regarding the last sentence, from the Alaska travel site, "All travelers with negative results must still follow strict social distancing for 14 days after arrival into the state or until the traveler receives a second negative test result from a test taken within 7-14 days after arrival."

If I read that correctly, it is not mandatory to do a second test?
 

Whip

WKR
Joined
Nov 28, 2015
Messages
567
I Moved my departure date up by a day so that I am now leaving on a Friday rather than Saturday and allowing me to test a day earlier. My local doctor and hospital Covid unit don't have anyone in the office on Saturdays so if I had tested on a Wednesday I would have been hoping for a result in 48 hours. They advised that might happen but couldn't promise. Testing a day earlier gives me the full 72 hours to get results.
The point is, ask your testing location specifically when and how you would receive your results. In my case results would have been faxed to my doctor and someone would then need to be there to receive it and upload to my medical portal where'd I would have access to it.
 

buzzy

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2013
Messages
512
At least you are in an area that can get results back so quickly. Its a 2 week wait where I live. If I lie and say I’m a first responder or have symptoms I’m guessing it would be a lot quicker.
 

mooster

WKR
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
599
so looks like the rules on AK site says must be a molecular test, but the rapid tests are antigen based. has anyone had whomever screens you going into AK challenge the type of test you have? My problem is local providers can do the rapid test (antigen) and have results same day, but if I have to do the molecular, it’s 3 biz days, so its not going to be ready by the time I arrive in FAI ( due to a weekend flight and closed office hours).
what type of COVID-19 diagnostic test does Alaska accept for travelers?
https://covid19.alaska.gov/ufaqs/what-kind-of-tests-are-accepted/
Posted on June 12, 2020
There are currently two different types of diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19: molecular tests that detect the virus’s genetic material and antigen tests that detect specific proteins on the surface of the virus. Alaska only accepts the molecular-based test type. Antigen tests are not accepted because they are more likely to miss an active coronavirus infection compared to molecular tests. Antibody (serology) tests are not accepted because they do not provide evidence of current infection.
A molecular-based SARS-CoV-2 test is any of a number of tests that detect the presence of viral RNA (genes), such as reverse transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (rt-PCR, e.g. Cepheid GeneXpert, KIngFisher System, ABI 7500 system), Transcription Mediated Amplification (TMA, e.g. the Hologic Panther system), and Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification (e.g. Abbott ID-NOW).
Alaska accepts results from FDA-approved home self-test swab kits
 
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SgtTanner

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 1, 2020
Messages
238
so looks like the rules on AK site says must be a molecular test, but the rapid tests are antigen based. has anyone had whomever screens you going into AK challenge the type of test you have? M problem is local providers can do the rapid test (antigen) and have results same day, but if I have to do the molecular, its not going to be ready by the time I arrive in FAI ( due to a weekend flight and closed office hours).

No experience with antigen tests. But if you still have the time, Picture Genetics or Everlywell have given quick enough turn around. When do you arrive at FAI?
 

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,672
I called the Kotzebue airport yesterday. According to them I can get the test in Anchorage for $250 and then fly on to Kotzebue without waiting for results of that test. Kotzebue is then testing everyone at the airport but we can fly out into the field without the results from either test and “quarantine” there as long as our transporter is ok flying us out. Called him too, he said that’s fine.

We fly out on a Tuesday morning and I can’t find anyone anywhere close that can give me 72hr results that I’ll have in hand before leaving on that schedule. Due to that I plan to get a test the week before I leave just so I know I was negative before ever leaving on the trip. Then I’ll just pay the $250 in Anchorage and go from there.
 
Joined
Nov 27, 2014
Messages
62
I called the Kotzebue airport yesterday. According to them I can get the test in Anchorage for $250 and then fly on to Kotzebue without waiting for results of that test. Kotzebue is then testing everyone at the airport but we can fly out into the field without the results from either test and “quarantine” there as long as our transporter is ok flying us out. Called him too, he said that’s fine.

We fly out on a Tuesday morning and I can’t find anyone anywhere close that can give me 72hr results that I’ll have in hand before leaving on that schedule. Due to that I plan to get a test the week before I leave just so I know I was negative before ever leaving on the trip. Then I’ll just pay the $250 in Anchorage and go from there.

McSeal, As long as you have proof of a test taken within 72 hours of departure and you are awaiting results, you can continue on to your destination. You don't need to pay for the $250 for the test at the airport. This is my worst case scenario for the back up to the back up plan lol.

Only thing stopping people would be a positive test result at this point . Even then, you can still make it to your destination. Not advocating people do this, just saying.....
 

mobilefamily

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
136
so looks like the rules on AK site says must be a molecular test, but the rapid tests are antigen based. has anyone had whomever screens you going into AK challenge the type of test you have? M problem is local providers can do the rapid test (antigen) and have results same day, but if I have to do the molecular, its not going to be ready by the time I arrive in FAI ( due to a weekend flight and closed office hours).

Thanks for posting. I have been looking for this info and hadn't found it. Had planned on getting the antigen test. Now I am screwed. We arrive on Tuesday night so there is no way to get a sample collected and processed within 72 hours because no shipping companies run on Sunday.
 

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,672
Thats my issue too. No way I’ve found to get tested in a 72hr window from Tuesday travel in my area and get results quick enough to do me any good.

Re-reading that earlier post I might have to check a little deeper. If a Monday morning test I’m awaiting results on works that might be an option. Have to see what I can find again.
 

Jorge400

FNG
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
36
Location
Greensboro, GA
so looks like the rules on AK site says must be a molecular test, but the rapid tests are antigen based. has anyone had whomever screens you going into AK challenge the type of test you have? M problem is local providers can do the rapid test (antigen) and have results same day, but if I have to do the molecular, its not going to be ready by the time I arrive in FAI ( due to a weekend flight and closed office hours).

From what I am seeing, "some" same day tests are molecular. We are currently arranging for a same day test within 72 hours of departure and are double checking to see if it is molecular. We are going the belts and suspenders route and we have all also ordered the Pixel self test from LabCorp (my daughter got results within 44 hours). Hopefully we will have one or both prior to departure.
 

mooster

WKR
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
599
No experience with antigen tests. But if you still have the time, Picture Genetics or Everlywell have given quick enough turn around. When do you arrive at FAI?
And oddly, I can’t determine from the PG or every well that they’re molecular or if they’re antigen.
 
Joined
Nov 27, 2014
Messages
62
I have an Everlywell at home test waiting to be used. It is a rt-PCR test which is a molecular test approved by the FDA and the state of Alaska.
 
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