The PCR test in less than 72 hours in New York: does it really work?

Faced with the obligation to present a negative virological test for the coronavirus dating less than 72 hours before being able to embark for Paris, the Consulate General of France in New York has entered into a partnership with a laboratory based in New Jersey which guarantees results within these timeframes.

We tested the procedure which is very simple. We first contacted French doctor Nicole Moulin on Thursday afternoon August 6, whose practice is located a stone’s throw from Grand Central Station in Midtown (210 E 47th St). Nicole Moulin is one of the four partner doctors in the operation in the New York region (list of doctors in box). The appointment is given to us the next day at 11:30 am. In view of the appointment, we must call the Excell laboratory (732 287 5115) to pre-pay for the test by credit card, for an amount of $ 100. These tests are generally covered by insurance, but it is advisable to check with your organization beforehand otherwise you will have to pay the full amount. The laboratory then sends us by e-mail the receipt to present to the doctor.

We therefore present ourselves on Friday August 7th at 11:30 am (15 minutes late) at the office of Dr. Nicole Moulin. On site, only one other person is waiting to take their test which should last about fifteen minutes. Dr. Moulin begins by taking our temperature, explaining that we receive between fifteen and twenty future travelers per day. We are then asked to fill out a form with our personal information, present an ID or passport, our pre-payment receipt for the test, and the original of our plane ticket or its copy. The sum of $ 60 must be paid to the doctor, whose consultation can also be reimbursed by your insurance if you have one.

We are now ready for the PCR test. Dr. Nicole Moulin explains to us straight away that this test is the one and only valid for flying. ” This is the TRUE molecular test which will be positive or negative. This test is then sent to the laboratory for analysis and response within 48 hours. », She explains. “ The “rapid test” has no value, it is a much less reliable saliva test which is carried out in a few minutes without going through a laboratory. »After having installed us in a small room adjacent to the reception, the French doctor takes out a rod of about twenty centimeters with a tampon at its end. The collection of secretions at the back of the nose is quite unpleasant but only lasts a few seconds. The objective of the PCR test is to ” check the patient for viruses deep in their airways », Explains Dr. Moulin. The tampon is then bathed in a solution for thirty seconds where the virus – if present – will settle.

The test is already over. We therefore waited 48 hours before contacting the laboratory, ie Sunday August 9 at 2pm. If Excell is closed on weekends, the laboratory provides a hotline for the results of PCR tests, and confirms our commitment to deliver the results within 48 hours. We waited about ten minutes before someone communicated our (negative) result to us by phone, before sending us proof by e-mail. Please note, you have 72 hours to fly on the date of the sample taking – in our example Friday August 7 (date indicated on the results sheet), and not on the date of receipt of the results. If the test is positive, you will not be able to fly.

On Saturday August 8, we contacted Hedvig Zsingor, who is Air France’s station manager at JFK airport. She confirmed to us that ONLY the presentation of a negative PCR test allowed the passengers to board. ” People who present a “rapid test” will be refused boarding. Ditto for those who come without a test except for children under 11 who are exempt. For those refused, we can exchange their tickets free of charge at a later date. “

For people who would not be able to pass this test less than 72 hours before their flight, the French Embassy in the United States explains on its website that temporary exemptions could be issued on a case-by-case basis until Monday, August 17. . But this device mainly concerns French people living in regions where it is impossible to obtain the results of screening tests in three days. Which is not the case in New York. ” Exemptions will only be granted in exceptional and documented cases of failure to obtain a test within the time limit and of compelling reason to travel “. Hedvig Zsingor explains that passengers in this situation “ will be allowed to embark but must be tested on arrival at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle “.