Reliable PCR and antigen tests in Sao Paulo

[Sarah Shirazi]

Hey guys, wanted to see if anybody knows specific labs or pharmacies that do reliable pcr and antigen tests in SP. I know there is a place at the GRU aiport, but wanted to see if there are other reliable options. Thanks

[Riobard]

There are probably many options if you dig.

Along with CR Diagnostics at GRU T3, Albert Einstein Hospital has also opened up a testing clinic in T3. Make sure you ask for a discount that may be associated with your particular airline. Personally, I would find it a hassle to go there two days ahead of the flight ...

Therefore, the CR Diagnostics branch a bit closer to town, at Shopping Mooca Plaza, might have less of a wait and be more convenient. Probably also right at Albert Einstein Hospital in town. 

Edited February 25, 2021 by Riobard

[floridarob]

32 minutes ago, Riobard said:

I would find it a hassle to go there two days ahead of the flight ...

Thinking like a Canadian ....U.S. only requires the antigen test which has results in about 15-20mins 

[Riobard]

37 minutes ago, floridarob said:

Thinking like a Canadian ....U.S. only requires the antigen test which has results in about 15-20mins 

Hahaha ... I know. The poster shoulda used the search function, as much has been written here on the forum. But I would personally take the RT-PCR, even if options, because it is gold standard and I don’t follow the American lead on CoV matters. I also don’t know if the OP is going to USA specifically or may be inappropriately grouping the two test versions when most nations require RT-PCR. Additionally, not all antigen test versions are rapid. In fact, the CDC clearly delineates the turnaround range for both versions, antigen or NAAT (umbrella for RT-PCR) as 15 minutes to 3 days because there are so many approved variations on the market. 

In the unlikely event a flight is diverted and lands elsewhere, also best to have the version universally accepted. 

I don’t know if tips for finding viral antigen test centres have been provided here. Or if such a version is offered at the airport. But Google search ‘coronavirus teste antígeno São Paulo’ should bring up several options. Be mindful that hundreds of CoV tests are ANVISA-authorized and, again, some antigen tests go to a lab (ie, not rapid) in the same way that NAAT formats are sent to a lab. 

Parenthetically, I think the USA FDA will grant EUA to the Johnson&Johnson vaccine tomorrow. Yet 1 in 4 infections at the study’s primary endpoint occurred in the vaccine group. 

Edited February 25, 2021 by Riobard

[Alexbbb]

If the USA only require the antigen test, instead of PCR test, you can go to PACHECO drogaria, result in 15 minutes and cost $R 120.00 but I dont know which PACHECO branch in SP do it, they dont do in every stores.

[Riobard]

1 hour ago, Alexbbb said:

If the USA only require the antigen test, instead of PCR test, you can go to PACHECO drogaria, result in 15 minutes and cost $R 120.00 but I dont know which PACHECO branch in SP do it, they dont do in every stores.

It’s not ‘instead of’, it’s either/or, aka viral antigen as an alternative to nucleic acid amplification ... that may be what you meant. 

The decision weighs convenience versus accuracy. Someone may want the more accurate RT-PCR to safeguard against transmission while travelling or following USA arrival, accepting of the inconvenience. If you are playing in a high infection incidence setting you may also want to know your status a bit sooner in case you can somewhat forecast possible emerging symptoms that may disrupt your flight plans anyway rather than be caught off guard at the last moment. Just about every flight contains one or more infected passengers and the odds are higher for the traveller having engaged in ample intimacy. 

Viral antigen format is less accurate, leaning towards more false negatives. But more popular for its convenience in the rapid point-of-care formats. 

One liability given the greater sensitivity of RT-PCR is that it might essentially detect residual but inactive viral particles, say, you were infected earlier in your trip (possibly unaware) but recovered. Therefore, if going the RT-PCR route and the result is positive you could have had a backup plan to do a subsequent viral antigen test (ie, know where to do it) in order to elevate the chance of a satisfactory qualifying test result in order to make your flight. Then you have the chance that a positive RT-PCR was due to hypersensitivity balanced against “cheating” with the less sensitive antigen test that may yield a false negative when the RT-PCR had actually detected truly contagious viral status.

I am not suggesting that it would be highly inappropriate to fly in such a case because the knowledge yet uncertainty of infection along with extra precaution seems no worse than the random inevitable naïvely infected passenger (ie, false negative) behaving with caution thrown to the wind.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Riobard

[Sarah Shirazi]

Sorry, I did not specify: I fly from GRU to Dallas by American. I might have to take PCR test by advice and most likely will go to the Airport 2 days before flying back. The lab is open 24/7 so probably will go in the morning so that not to lose out on a day. I guess I was looking for a cheaper version. I spent $92 in Bogotá for both antigen and pcr test. The turn around was 22 hours. 

[Riobard]

9 hours ago, Sarah Shirazi said:

Sorry, I did not specify: I fly from GRU to Dallas by American. I might have to take PCR test by advice and most likely will go to the Airport 2 days before flying back. The lab is open 24/7 so probably will go in the morning so that not to lose out on a day. I guess I was looking for a cheaper version. I spent $92 in Bogotá for both antigen and pcr test. The turn around was 22 hours. 

I would likely also do the 2-day advance plan at GRU, taking the Metro ... some of the departures on the airport line are more express than others. If one wants to offset some of the cost of this task. I forget which terminal it intersects but all terminal connections are walkable. 

CR Diagnostics at GRU apparently also offers the viral antigen test, a bit cheaper and faster, ie, they indicate 4 hours and 2 hours, respectively. Because many travellers may bank on that semi-rapid format, if accepted by their international carrier, and just do it all same day as their flight by turning up a few hours extra in advance, it may be busier. Perhaps the Albert Einstein Hospital option also at T3 would be less busy as I believe they are doing RT-PCR exclusively. In any case, if there is a daunting queue at CR one might scurry over to the alternative. 

Be grateful and suck up the cost. I can only get to Brazil by Copa thru Panama because foreign nationals cannot transit through USA from Brazil. The COPA connection timings have changed and currently suck with impossible airside wait times. Canada has scuppered flights to Mexico, Caribbean, and Latin America. I would also be dinged $2000CAD for obligatory hotel quarantine upon return to Montreal.

I won’t be able to obtain a vaccination passport when they gain traction and when flights resume because I was inoculated with vaccine in a placebo-control trial but my vaccination status won’t be officially unblinded until February 2022. The vaccination passport is a lame and shortsighted idea, too specific. Better to have a broader CoV status document with more equivalency bandwidth that covers states such as recovery with antibody evidence, and maintain stringent negative test verification for the subset of people not vaccinated. Not all folks unvaccinated in the long run would be representative of hesitancy or refusal. There will likely be the need to continue large vaccine research trials, and recruitment of volunteers will be greatly impeded by putting them in limbo without official vaccination certification. Who wants to be a research subject if subject to too many restrictions?

There will be whinging and whining about privacy and right to decline vaccination. To me, that is not the problem worth wasting time on. It is more about considering all the practical angles. Defining vaccination as the gold standard for freedom privileges when breakthrough infection can occur just seems silly. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Riobard

[floridarob]

https://www.drogariasaopaulo.com.br/tudo-sobre-coronavirus

[Riobard]

Le groan. 

The above site indicates that their rapid test targets detection of antibodies through serology. This is not a qualifying test for boarding a flight! The result will not be branded as “negative for COVID, SARS-CoV-2, etc”. It will likely indicate non-reactive or positive for IgG/IgM antibodies. Technically that would be indicative of a person not likely transmitting infection, but it is not the required viral test, NAAT or antigen category. If they in fact do offer antigen tests, I have somehow inadvertently missed it.

For those considering the viral antigen test format and hoping to acquire one quickly at a drug store chain, with possible losses in language translation, caveat emptor that antigen may be incorrectly conflated with antibody because either are available rapidly. The proprietor may think that your agenda is in common with that of many locals, that is, folks ponying up cash occasionally to assess CoV exposure history but not wanting or able to spend money frequently for a point-of-care viral antigen test that is really only useful for current infection status over a relatively short period of time. In that context, avoid the term ‘rapid’. Ensure that you are getting a nasal-pharyngeal swab as opposed to having your finger jabbed for a minuscule blood sample. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Riobard

[Badboy81]

23 hours ago, floridarob said:

Thinking like a Canadian ....U.S. only requires the antigen test which has results in about 15-20mins 

FALSE

[Riobard]

[Sarah Shirazi]

Well, since I am planning on a lot of playing in Brazil, I will do the test exactly 3 days before returning just in case....buying travel insurance is a must these days. I live in LA and supposed to quarantine, but I just did a test upon arrival from Colombia last time and went back straight to work. 

[floridarob]

19 hours ago, Badboy81 said:

FALSE

Why?

[Riobard]

9 hours ago, Sarah Shirazi said:

Well, since I am planning on a lot of playing in Brazil, I will do the test exactly 3 days before returning just in case....buying travel insurance is a must these days. I live in LA and supposed to quarantine, but I just did a test upon arrival from Colombia last time and went back straight to work. 

No petal, 2 days prior, for example do it Wednesday daytime for a Friday 23:30 AA departure. To be within the 72 hours.

Bear in mind the new curfew 23:00-05:00 may extend beyond March 14th ... I don’t know your dates. The curfew would affect a plan to go for the viral test late Tuesday night in the above example.

I assume you have immunity with respect to novel coronavirus. 

[floridarob]

On 2/26/2021 at 12:45 PM, Badboy81 said:

FALSE

 

GOING to USA, Email regarding my upcoming trip to NYC:

 

 

 

COVID-19 testing required for your trip to the US – visit the Travel-Ready Center for more info Before your United flight to the U.S., you’ll need to provide proof that you’ve recently tested negative for COVID-19. Approved tests include molecular (PCR, LAMP, etc.) or antigen. This requirement does not apply to those traveling from a U.S. territory, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Please make sure you get tested within the required timeframe, which is no more than 3 calendar days before your departure. On the day of your flight, we recommend all travelers arrive at least 3 hours before their departure to allow for plenty of time for check in and document verification. Visit the Travel-Ready Center on united.com before you check in to find what you need to know about your trip in one place, including up-to-date information, testing requirements and verification for documents. You can also upload your test results and have them reviewed and approved before you head to the airport to help speed up your airport experience. To upload documents via the Travel-Ready Center: 1. Visit the Travel-Ready Center in the My Trips section of the United app or go to united.com/travelreadycenter 2. Under Destination Requirements, click ""Upload documentation"". This button will only be available within 72 hours of your flight. 3. Choose the file or image you want to submit and upload your documents. If you can’t meet these requirements, you may not be allowed to board the flight. For more information on travel restrictions and rebooking options, please visit united.com/importantnotices. On behalf of all of us at United, safe travels.