Tourism officials in Quintana Roo have announced they will begin working with international travelers on acquiring the mandatory COVID-19 tests to re-enter the United States.
According to the Riviera Maya News, Quintana Roo Governor Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now requires a negative coronavirus antigen test, which is a cheaper alternative to the PCR tests.
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Joaquin Gonzalez said the COVID-19 antigen tests are just as efficient as PCR tests, but are cheaper and provides reliable results “practically immediately.”
“The problem we face with the PCR tests is that each one costs about $150, the result takes 24 to 72 hours, the laboratories to perform them here are scarce, and there is not enough for the tourists we receive,” Joaquin Gonzalez told the Riviera Maya News.
“We are already in contact with laboratories to facilitate its application among tourists,” Joaquin Gonzalez continued.
Earlier this week, the CDC announced that international travelers arriving in the U.S. would be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before the flight.
The new requirements go into effect on January 26 and apply to all passengers two years and older, as well as U.S. citizens returning to America. For those that previously tested positive, they must show documentation of recovery, with airlines being responsible for verifying the negative test results and post-COVID paperwork.
Destinations and resorts around the Caribbean have already started offering free tests for guests.