Covid surging in Bonaire

[tursiops]

I am aware of the testing types and requirements, however, the Bonaire Crisis Website infographic shows that the day 5 test for travelers from very high risk countries is supposed to be a NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test) PCR.

PCR is a type of NAAT, there are a handful others - like the ID-NOW for example, that do not use classic PCR (which takes a while), but still rely on the virus genetic sequence amplification procedure.

But people keep posting that the 5 day test on Bonaire is an antigen test - ???

Do we essentially need to pay for yet another PCR on day 5 in Bonaire? That result could then also be used to re-enter the US, but these tests are much more costly and I am not convinced the turnaround time in Bonaire is going to be fast enough...

View attachment 679312

The chart you show is out-of-date. Things keep evolving.

Sorry to beat this dead issue, but I remain confused: if staying 7 days or less, must one get the new Bonaire 5-day test?

No. Here is the official word -- as of today -- from BonaireCrisis.com"

You can skip the free Bonaire-provided antigen test on Day 5 and take a pay-for-it-yourself antigen test at a commercial lab that is sent to the Bonaire Health Dept AND allows you to enter the US. But this is only valid for a stay of 7 days. The commercial antigen test is available at three locations on the island, at varying costs. I paid $65 for the most convenient test (administered at Buddy Dive where I was staying) but you can get a $35 test at a site near the airport.

 

[ReadyDiverOne]

Excellent, many, many thanks!

 

[timetraveler]

I paid $65 for the most convenient test (administered at Buddy Dive where I was staying) but you can get a $35 test at a site near the airport.

Thank you for posting this information. I'm at Buddy Dive now. But I've located the less expensive testing site at COVID-19 PCR Testing on Bonaire - Bon Bida Bonaire That testing site is one of the three that are recommended by Tourism Bonaire.

 

[tursiops]

Thank you for posting this information. I'm at Buddy Dive now. But I've located the less expensive testing site at COVID-19 PCR Testing on Bonaire - Bon Bida Bonaire That testing site is one of the three that are recommended by Tourism Bonaire.

The less expensive site is Covid-19 test.

 

[timetraveler]

The less expensive site is Covid-19 test.

Thank you.

 

[Outbound]

Could you clarify the outcome of your email exchange? I am still confused. So, if we stay for 7 days and arrange for a private test on days 4,5 or 6 - which we need to do anyway to return to the US, we do not need to do this additional free public health test, provided we share our test results with the public health department?

Which kind of test satisfies Bonaire? The public announcements and website articles all randomly switch between PCR and antigen…

I mainly want to avoid having to do two tests in the same day. From reports on Bonaire Facebook groups one cannot take the public health test as an extra test as one will not get results back.

Yes, if you arrange for a private antigen test you will not have to take the test at PG also, provided that the testing company you use sends the results to PG. The Bonaire Crisis website isn't fully updated, so the chart they have indicates US travelers need a NAAT test on day 5. However, as @tursiops found out in the link that provides an update for Americans, we actually only need an antigen test. No sense in taking the free PG antigen test because they don't print out the results, so you can't use it to return to the US. So just pay for an antigen test from a private company on day 4, 5, or 6, make sure they send the results to PG, and you'll be good to go.

While I completely understand that Bonaire authorities want to keep everyone as safe as possible, the announcement of this new testing regimen either wasn't thought out very well or at the very least hasn't been communicated very well. They don't even have their website fully updated. I'm guessing they realized that having a flood of Americans descend on the PG offices for a free NAAT test every Thursday wasn't a good idea, either in terms of expense or hassle.

 

[Taath]

In case anyone finds this helpful, I e-mailed the public health department in Bonaire. Here is what I asked:

Hello,


My friend and I are travelling to Bonaire mid-September. We had a few questions we were hoping to get clarification on.

1. Your website indicates that we must have a (NAAT)PCR test 48 hours before departure. Is that departure based on the time of our first flight or our flight from Miami into Boniare? We will not be leaving the airport between connections.
2. Are rapid PCR-RT tests, like the Abbot ID NOW tests acceptable for entry?
3. Since we are staying on the island for 7 days, we will need to get an antigen test on day 5 or 6 of our trip and have the company send the results to the PG to meet the new requirements? Is that correct?

Thank you in advance for any answers you can provide!

Here is the response the sent me:

Dear Mr. XXXXX,

Thank you for contacting Bonaire public heath department.

The PCR test has to be taken within 48 hours of your first departure.

The IDNOW RT-PCR is a valid PCR test and is accepted for your entry to Bonaire. If you are staying in Bonaire for less than 8 days, you can take your PCR test at a commercial test company and send the result to us. This so you can have your result in writing for your trip back.

Hope to have informed you accordingly.

Kind Regards.

Positive confirmation that the 48 hours is from the first flight, in my case PHX to MIA. Also confirmation that the ID NOW test is acceptable for entry and there is no need to take the antigen test with PG if you are staying less than 8 days.

Hopefully this information helps someone else as well!

 

[TabeaK]

Thanks!

Note that even public health Bonaire cannot keep the tests straight - you asked about antigen test and they respond with PCR...

 

[Outbound]

Thanks!

Note that even public health Bonaire cannot keep the tests straight - you asked about antigen test and they respond with PCR...

True. Although I suspect that the policy was changed rapidly in succession, from no day 5 test required to a day 5 PCR test to a less stringent day 4, 5, or 6 antigen test for US travelers staying less than 8 days. My guess is that they realized the cost and the logistic ramifications of testing two plane-loads of Americans every Thursday would stress the system too much, so they rolled it back a bit. As it is, the only real difference for vaccinated Americans is that they now require that we don't wait until the last minute to get our antigen test.

But, despite the confusion, I must commend the Bonaire health department for rapidly responding to anxious emails from American travelers. I was pleasantly surprised when they responded to my emails within an hour or two.

 

[Steelyeyes]

My wife and I are trying to get to Saba from Bonaire. Flights keep changing, tests keep changing. We were going take the ferry from St. Maarten but the ferry we were scheduled on got canceled so now we're taking a flight that wasn't available before. It will be a miracle if we get it done at all. Traveling really isn't as easy as it used to be.