Upon arrival at the airport up to three days before their departure – or upon immediately disembarking from an arriving flight – travelers should follow the signs on the 3rd floor of the Main Terminal to Airside E and F shuttles. They will see signs for the testing site, which is designed to insure privacy during test collection.
Face masks are required and social distancing should be maintained at all times except during the actual test collection.
Please note that COVID-19 tests are point-in-time diagnostic tools. A negative result does not rule out a person from developing COVID-19 in the future.
Registration
Travelers should bring proof of travel (boarding pass or airline receipt) as well as be prepared to provide their Social Security number*, an email address and a mobile phone number. This contact information will speed the notification of test results by allowing travelers to check the BayCare Patient Portal as soon as 24 hours after testing to see if results have returned.
All passengers taking a test will be required to sign a testing consent form, excluding BayCare Health System and Tampa International Airport for any liability regarding test results, unexpected delays in test processing and any potential impact on travel plans.
*Travelers who do not have a Social Security number or who do not want to provide one will receive results in a different manner, which is detailed below.
Procedure
Each traveler will have the test administered by a licensed professional in a privacy bay. The PCR test uses a nasopharyngeal swab. The antigen test uses a nasal swab.
Should there be a wait for service, travelers will have the option to wait outside on the adjacent terrace instead of inside the building.
Results
Travelers with a positive result are highly encouraged to cancel all travel plans, quarantine and contact a physician. Under law, BayCare is required to report all positive results to the Florida Department of Health.
Travelers with a negative result should print a copy or store a copy on their mobile device. Based on itinerary, some airlines as well as government officials will require the document for travel or upon arrival.
To obtain results:
Travelers will receive information during registration about how to access the BayCare Patient Portal.
PCR Test results: Travelers can begin checking the BayCare Patient Portal as early as 24 hours after their test collection for results. If travelers haven’t seen results within 72 hours, they can call 1-800-BayCare for assistance.
Antigen Test results: Travelers may wait onsite for test results, which take less than an hour.
Travelers who did not provide a Social Security number during registration will either be notified by text on their mobile device (negative results) or by a phone call (positive results).