An agreement between Aerostar and the laboratory company CMT Group Corp. will allow the establishment of a series of test collection centers for COVID-19 at the facilities of Luis Muñoz Marín Airport from 1 February. This will allow passengers entering and leaving the island to comply with regulations imposed by the Puerto Rican government and other jurisdictions, Jorge Hernández, CEO of Aerostar Puerto Rico, the airport operator, reported today.
“The trend in different destinations is to require negative tests to allow quarantine-free access for passengers. The aviation industry promotes forcing its passengers to give negative results to COVID-19 before boarding a plane. For this reason, we are preparing to offer passengers an additional alternative to the service of performing rapid antigen and molecular tests at the same airport with results in less than 48 hours, both for those entering and for those leaving. From Puerto Rico “, said 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 company CMT Group Corp. The first two will operate in terminals 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 points on board. They will operate seven days a week from 6 am to 12 am Finally, the service could be extended to 24 hours a day.
Evidence collection centers are under development and operations are expected to begin 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 tests in about 30 minutes to an hour.
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“COVID-10 will continue in our lives longer and we must resume operations in a responsible and safe manner. Facilitating access to input and a quick test result is an important step. In this way, we can help encourage the flow of visitors, including our families from the diaspora, by reducing the risk of contagion on the island “, added Hernández.
“Establishing this alliance with the airport fulfills two objectives. On the one hand, we offer an alternative to visitors to present a negative test as soon as they arrive in Puerto Rico to reduce the potential for contagion. In addition, we strengthen economic development, as 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 Ojo, CEO CMT Group Corp., specialists in clinical laboratory and occupational health.
The cost of the test will be $ 110. The person could claim reimbursement from the insurance company if it covered the test in Puerto Rico.
The lab company is developing a digital platform that can be accessed by passengers before their arrival in Puerto Rico. This will generate a QR Code that will allow the visitor to receive the test results and complete the forms required to comply with government regulations. In addition, you will find all kinds of destination information through the same site.
As part of the current government-issued executive order, all visitors must arrive with a negative test already conducted within 72 hours of their entry. Otherwise, you must agree to do it in a local laboratory and, until you get the result, you are required to remain in quarantine. If you choose not to take the test, you must have a quarantine of 14 days. With this initiative, those who did not take the test before arrival will be able to do so upon arrival at the same airport, once the test centers start their operations. Similarly, travelers leaving Puerto Rico to other cities can take the test before leaving for some of the seven CMT Group Corp. facilities. around the island or before boarding a plane, in one of the centers that will soon operate in the airport terminals.
CMT Group Corp. has 40 years in laboratories and in the occupational health industry. It has a network of eight evidence collection centers around the island and a reference laboratory. Similarly, it provides direct services to hundreds of private clients and their employees.