An agreement between Aerostar and the signing of laboratories CMT Group Corp will establish a series of test collection centers for COVID-19 in the facilities of the airport Luis Muñoz Marín from 1 February. This will make it possible for passengers entering and leaving the island to comply with the rules imposed by the government of Puerto Rico and other jurisdictions, Jorge Hernandez, CEO of Aerostar Puerto Rico, the airport operator, said today.
“The trend across different destinations is to require negative tests to allow quarantine-free access for passengers. The aviation industry promotes requiring its passengers to have a negative COVID-19 result prior to boarding. For this reason, we are preparing to be able to provide passengers with an additional alternative to the rapid antigen and molecular testing service within the airport itself with results in less than 48 hours, both in that they enter like those that leave Puerto Rico “, affirmed the CEO of Aerostar Puerto Rico.
He explained that they will be established three centers of collection testing for COVID-19 by the experienced laboratory firm CMT Group Corp. The first two will operate at Terminal A and C. The third will open in a second phase. In this way, passengers will initially have two facilities within walking distance of their boarding points. These would operate seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eventually, the service could expand to 24 hours a day.
Test collection centers are under development and it is estimated that they could start operations in February. The result of the molecular tests would be available in a maximum period of 24 to 48 hours depending on the time in which it is performed and the antigen in about 30 minutes to an hour.
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“The COVID-10 continued in our lives for longer and we must resume operations responsibly and safely. Facilitating access to the dam and a quick test result is an important step. D “In this way, we can help encourage the flow of visitors, including our families in the diaspora, reducing the risk of infection on the island,” added Hernandez.
“The establishment of this alliance with the airport fulfills two objectives. On the one hand, we provide an alternative so that visitors can present a negative test when they arrive in Puerto Rico to reduce the potential contagion. In addition, we strengthen the development economic, because facilitating access to the test and providing a result in a short period of time, becomes an additional attraction for the visitor, “said Dr. Otegbola Ull, chief executive of CMT Group Corp., specialists in clinical laboratory and occupational health.
The cost of the test will be $ 110. The person could request a refund from their insurance company, if the insurance company covers the test in Puerto Rico.
The laboratory company is in the development of a digital platform that will be accessible to passengers from before their arrival in Puerto Rico. This will generate a code (QR Code) that will allow the visitor to receive their test results and fill out the necessary forms to comply with government regulations. In addition, you will find all kinds of information about the destination through one place.
As part of the current Executive Order, issued by the government, all visitors must arrive with a negative test already conducted within a period of 72 hours, prior to their entry. If you do not do so, you must commit to a local laboratory and, until you have obtained the result, you are required to remain in quarantine. If you choose not to take the test, you must undergo a quarantine of 14 days. With this initiative, those who have not been tested before arrival will be able to perform on arrival at the same airport, once the test centers begin their operations. Similarly, travelers leaving Puerto Rico for other cities will be able to take the test, prior to their departure at some of the seven CMT Group Corp facilities around the island or before boarding the ‘aircraft, in one of the centers that will soon operate in the airport terminals.
CMT Group Corp. has 40 years in the laboratory and occupational health industry. It has a network of eight test collection centers around the island and a reference laboratory. Similarly, it provides direct services to hundreds of private clients and their employees.