Emed proctored Covid test … trying to understand emed’s FAQ about time zones

[D4]

I haven’t seen this question before.  I’m trying to figure out the time zone that emed uses.

 

I attached 2 screenshots of the emed FAQ about this, but I don’t really understand their FAQ.

 

We have an early flight 2 days before the cruise.  We need to be at the airport at 5:30am.  We want our results before the flight because we don’t want to fly if we can’t cruise.
 

We are in the central time zone. I had planned to stay up late and test after midnight (before our flight), but then I thought of a possible time zone issue with emed.

 

I’d appreciate hearing the date/time on your emed result compared to the date/time it was when you took the test in your time zone.

 

Thanks

[twinmommy08]

For CST today March 2 at 8 pm it would be 2 am UTC Thursday, March 3rd.

Edited March 3, 2022 by twinmommy08

[Starry Eyes]

I am in the Eastern time zone and took a test a couple weeks ago.

In the app, my time given as 7:58 am EST….that is indeed when I took test local time.

On my emailed lab report, my time given as 12:58 UTC, same date.

I hope that helps.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Starry Eyes

[LeeW]

If you are cruising from Florida on say a Sunday, the test needs to be no earlier than Friday (2 calendar days) morning.  Testing after 11 PM central time zone would be stamped with a UTC that corresponds to Friday in Florida, 2 days before sailing.  They look at the date when you check in so as long as your test date shows no earlier than Friday in this example you are good.

Edited March 3, 2022 by LeeW
typo

[Ashland]

I live in SoCal and the earliest I can take the (eMed) test (for my cruise on Sunday March 20th) is on a Friday March 18th so with day light savings happening on March 13th what time can I take the test...does it have to be just after midnight my local time? I'm so confused with the UTC. Also have to leave home at 5:30am for my LAX-SJU flight.

[D4]

1 hour ago, twinmommy08 said:

For CST today March 2 at 8 pm it would be 2 am UTC Thursday, March 3rd.

I appreciate everyones responses.

 

I wondered if it would work like @twinmommy08 described.

 

I would be nice if we could do our tests before midnight since we need to be at the airport at 5:30am.

 

There are 2 of us and I ordered the 6 pack of tests since people report random dud test kits.  I think I’ll test one of us at 10pm CST that night and see what date and time the emed report says.

 

I also plan to test each of us with inexpensive OTC tests the day before.  There’s no sense going through the last day getting ready frenzy if we can’t go.

[D4]

55 minutes ago, Ashland said:

I live in SoCal and the earliest I can take the (eMed) test (for my cruise on Sunday March 20th) is on a Friday March 18th so with day light savings happening on March 13th what time can I take the test...does it have to be just after midnight my local time? I'm so confused with the UTC. Also have to leave home at 5:30am for my LAX-SJU flight.

It is very confusing.  It would be nice if they included a specific example in that FAQ.

[SRF]

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/map/

 

0001 (just after midnight) Friday March 18 in SJU is 0401 Friday March 18 UTC.

 

Which is 2101 (9:01PM) SoCal time Thursday March 17.

[Mooreland1999]

For TSA air travel, the time window is based on the time zone of the departing flight.  I think, but can't find it specifically on RCCL website, that it is the same for them.  The time window is based on the departure day in ship time zone.  Again, you would need to confirm with RCCL, but your timezone and the timezone on the test shouldn't matter, only the departure day and test time converted to the ships local time should be relevant.

[beachluver9]

As said by another poster, time of day doesn't really matter...what matters is the day the test in done.  

 

On a side note...I still have several tests leftover from our November cruise which now have an expired date printed on the end.  I understand speaking with RCCL that the new rule is that the test is good until 12 months from the date printed, however I can't find this in writing anywhere.  Has anyone seen this in writing somewhere, and if so, where?  Surely an RCCL agent wouldn't give me an incorrect answer!  😆😅😆

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

33 minutes ago, beachluver9 said:

As said by another poster, time of day doesn't really matter...what matters is the day the test in done.  

 

On a side note...I still have several tests leftover from our November cruise which now have an expired date printed on the end.  I understand speaking with RCCL that the new rule is that the test is good until 12 months from the date printed, however I can't find this in writing anywhere.  Has anyone seen this in writing somewhere, and if so, where?  Surely an RCCL agent wouldn't give me an incorrect answer!  😆😅😆

 

 

Check with emed if you may still use those kits.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Sunshine3601

[Starry Eyes]

40 minutes ago, beachluver9 said:

As said by another poster, time of day doesn't really matter...what matters is the day the test in done.  

 

On a side note...I still have several tests leftover from our November cruise which now have an expired date printed on the end.  I understand speaking with RCCL that the new rule is that the test is good until 12 months from the date printed, however I can't find this in writing anywhere.  Has anyone seen this in writing somewhere, and if so, where?  Surely an RCCL agent wouldn't give me an incorrect answer!  😆😅😆

 

 

I believe the FDA has approved the Binax Now AgCard test for approx 15 months from date of manufacture.  I have not seen a list of lot numbers with exact expiration dates, and lacking that personally I would not care to push it to the last week or so of that 15 months without a backup on hand.

 

https://www.emed.com/hubfs/EUA-abbott-bNOWHome-Rev-2022-01-07.pdf

[njkruzer]

1 hour ago, beachluver9 said:

As said by another poster, time of day doesn't really matter...what matters is the day the test in done.  

 

On a side note...I still have several tests leftover from our November cruise which now have an expired date printed on the end.  I understand speaking with RCCL that the new rule is that the test is good until 12 months from the date printed, however I can't find this in writing anywhere.  Has anyone seen this in writing somewhere, and if so, where?  Surely an RCCL agent wouldn't give me an incorrect answer!  😆😅😆

 

 

Go to emed's website and faq.  There is a feature letter confirming extension of expiration date.  Did it the other day. 

[njkruzer]

We live cost. For our 12/30 cruise from Miami  took test after midnight 12/28.  What is important is that it showed that the test was taken on 12/28.  Dh laughed when he saw the UTC time.  What was important was the date.  No problem boarding. 

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, SRF said:

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/map/

 

0001 (just after midnight) Friday March 18 in SJU is 0401 Friday March 18 UTC.

 

Which is 2101 (9:01PM) SoCal time Thursday March 17.

Are you saying I can take it at 9:01PM on Thursday March 17th while still at home in SoCal ???...I hope you're correct that would make a huge difference for us...Please verify this so I can be sure...Thank you so very much !!! I'm sorry I'm so confused about this and appreciate your help.

[Biker19]

20 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Are you saying I can take it at 9:01PM on Thursday March 17th while still at home in SoCal ?

You can take it at anytime on the 18th - you can set your device to some other timezone if needed to accomplish that -the testers don't know where you are.

[beachluver9]

1 hour ago, njkruzer said:

Go to emed's website and faq.  There is a feature letter confirming extension of expiration date.  Did it the other day. 

Thanks for your response!  I went to the FAQs and it states only certain lots of tests have an extension to the date shown on the box, but there is no list (searched) showing the specific lots that are extended.  I have emailed them asking for the detailed list and hoping that they will respond in the next day or so.  The last batch that I ordered came from several different lots.  I tried calling emed to ask specifically about the tests that I have in hand, but the language barrier between myself and the agent was not workable.  Hopefully email is the ticket!

 

[D4]

3 hours ago, Mooreland1999 said:

For TSA air travel, the time window is based on the time zone of the departing flight.  I think, but can't find it specifically on RCCL website, that it is the same for them.  The time window is based on the departure day in ship time zone.  Again, you would need to confirm with RCCL, but your timezone and the timezone on the test shouldn't matter, only the departure day and test time converted to the ships local time should be relevant.

I think the people that check the test results at the port will only look at the date on the test report.  
 

I can’t imagine that they would look at the time on the report and then calculate time zone differences.

[smokeybandit]

Since American testing only cares about calendar days, not hours, for recency of testing, I'm not sure time zone is much of a concern.

[D4]

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

Are you saying I can take it at 9:01PM on Thursday March 17th while still at home in SoCal ???...I hope you're correct that would make a huge difference for us...Please verify this so I can be sure...Thank you so very much !!! I'm sorry I'm so confused about this and appreciate your help.

This is how I’m interpreting it.  I’m in the central time zone.

 

I just went to https://time.is/UTC

That site says the UTC time right now is 18:15 March 3 and it says my time is 12:15 March 3.

 

So I’m thinking we can do our emed tests after 7pm the night before we fly and the emed report will contain the date of the next day.  (I’m not saying 6pm because I don’t want to confuse this by dealing with daylight savings time😱)

 

If this is correct, you’d be able to do your tests in California even earlier than me.

 

This would also make a huge difference for us because we could get a better night sleep before we go to the airport.

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, D4 said:

This is how I’m interpreting it.  I’m in the central time zone.

 

I just went to https://time.is/UTC

That site says the UTC time right now is 18:15 March 3 and it says my time is 12:15 March 3.

 

So I’m thinking we can do our emed tests after 7pm the night before we fly and the emed report will contain the date of the next day.  (I’m not saying 6pm because I don’t want to confuse this by dealing with daylight savings time😱)

 

If this is correct, you’d be able to do your tests in California even earlier than me.

 

This would also make a huge difference for us because we could get a better night sleep before we go to the airport.

Still confused on my exact times ...I'm hoping SRF comes back and posts.

[njkruzer]

I know the results show upcoming time but to be on the safe time, I would do it after midnight port time.  Saying that we started it after midnight our time.

[Ashland]

55 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

I know the results show upcoming time but to be on the safe time, I would do it after midnight port time.  Saying that we started it after midnight our time.

I don't want to be explaining any timing difference as I try to board in San Juan. I would love to be able to print out the hard copy before I leave from home to get to LAX...5:30am March 18th.

 

I so appreciate the OP and all those that have offered some input....keep it coming.

[smokeybandit]

You guys are thinking too hard.

 

You take the test two calendar days before your cruise based on the time zone your cruise departs from. That's it.

If your cruise departs say April 3, then once it hits April 1 in the timezone your cruise leaves from, then you can take your test.

If you take the test at 8pm ET on April 1, the test result will show 12am April 2 because that's GMT. And even if you get a check-in agent who isn't up on time differences, 12am April 2 is still within range.

 

 

[njkruzer]

When you take the test you get your results in an email within 15 min.  You can print it out to take it with you.