Tampa International Airport (TPA) is the site of a new pilot program-reportedly, the nation's first-to offer COVID-19 testing to any and all passengers. Throughout October, any passenger departing from or arriving at TPA, can obtain an onsite PCR (nasal swab) test for $125 or a rapid antigen test at a cost of $57.
The testing option is open to all ticketed passengers who are flying within the next three days or who flew within the previous three days and can provide proof of travel. Interested travelers are eligible for testing, regardless of which airline they're flying, their gate location or their destination, USA Today reported.
According to today's TPA press release, travelers bound for destinations requiring negative PCR test results for entry, or those hoping to bypass quarantine or other restrictions upon arrival, are advised to get testing three days prior to departure and can expect their results to arrive within 48 hours.
While PCR tests are the more accurate of the two FDA-approved test types and more widely accepted internationally, rapid antigen tests produce results within just 15 minutes. The antigen tests are optimal for travelers seeking same-day reassurance that they're free from infection but have been shown to carry a higher likelihood of producing false negatives and are most accurate when taken within five days of the onset of symptoms.
The airport testing site, operated by BayCare Health System, is located inside the Main Terminal near the Airside F shuttle. Testing services will be offered on a walk-in basis seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
"As a gateway to the West Coast of Florida with a growing market for international travel, Tampa International Airport has a responsibility to explore safe, rapid and affordable ways to keep our travelers, their destinations and our community as safe and healthy as possible," said TPA CEO Joe Lopano. "We're thankful to our partners at BayCare in helping us create a pilot program that gives us a step in the right direction, as well as providing a valuable service to our passengers."
"Tampa International Airport has been a leader of airport health protocols since the earliest signs of the pandemic and was one of the first in the country to mandate masks, install plastic shields and apply social distancing markers through its TPA Ready launch in April," said Gary Harrod, Chairman of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, which oversees TPA. "These innovative efforts go a long way in building traveler confidence and keeping our region safe as we continue to recover from the impacts of COVID-19."
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