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Does not mean the test is expired
- Free COVID-19 tests sent by the federal government may have a date printed on the box that has passed, but this does not mean the test is expired. That’s because the FDA extended the shelf life of these tests.
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Jan 10, 2023 · People are reporting confusion after receiving Covid tests from the government with lapsed expiration dates. The FDA extended the tests' shelf life, but many still expire soon.
- Aria Bendix
- Overview
- Why did the FDA extend expiration dates?
- Which test brands can you use after they've "expired"?
- What happens if a COVID-19 test is truly expired?
With COVID-19 cases on the rise again in the U.S., Americans are reviving a familiar precautionary measure: Screening for the virus using rapid at-home tests.
Many people still have kits the government formerly provided to all households for free, especially as some schools and businesses again require tests. Yet different COVID-19 tests bear expiration dates on their packaging that have long since passed, raising questions about whether they're still effective.
Once in short supply, test kits are now easier to come by, but they can be costly in stores, roughly $25 for a pack of two tests. It's also still possible for both insured and uninsured people to get free testing. The government is once again offering free rapid at-home tests by mail, which you can order online at COVIDTests.gov.
•More free COVID-19 tests can be ordered now, as uptick looms
•Free COVID test kits are coming back. Here's how to get them.
If you still have any older tests stored away, the good news is that some COVID-19 test kits that are past their expiration dates may still be effective. Here's how to find out if your COVID-19 test is safe to use.
The Food and Drug Administration maintains a list of authorized over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic tests that indicate if the expiration date printed on their packaging is valid or if it has been extended.
The FDA has extended the expiration dates of several different test brands, lengthening their shelf lives to up to two years. The extensions come in response to manufacturers testing their kits for accuracy beyond their printed expiration dates and sharing the results with the FDA.
Abbott's widely used BinaxNow COVID-19 test kits now have a shelf life of up to 22 months, depending on when the tests were manufactured. In January of 2023, the pharmaceutical firm told customers that kits they'd previously purchased "may now have a longer than labeled product expiry date." To see if a BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test kit in your possession has a new expiration date, you can search for its lot number in the attached list here.
"All BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test kits currently have a twenty-two-month expiry date," the company said. Abbott added that expiration dates could be extended again in the future, pending new data on their viability.
Users of other tests, like Ellume's COVID-19 Home Test, should refer to the expiration date printed on the tests' packaging. If a test truly has expired, the results it delivers cannot be trusted, according to the FDA.
"COVID-19 tests and the parts they are made of may degrade, or break down, over time. Because of this, expired test kits could give inaccurate or invalid test results," the FDA said in a statement on its website.
- Cerullo
- 3 min
Apr 18, 2024 · Now that you can no longer receive tests from the Postal Service, you have three main avenues to find free COVID-19 testing locations across the US: HRSA health centers, Test to Treat locations...
Mar 8, 2024 · Though the free tests through the government are coming to an end, you may still be able to find them for free through local programs. For additional tests, here are various stores that offer...
Nov 21, 2023 · Order your test kits through COVID.gov. Orders will ship free starting the week of November 27, 2023. The kits will include instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates. Many kits have had their expiration dates extended beyond what may be printed on the packaging.
Jan 20, 2022 · There’s a new federal resource to get free FDA-authorized coronavirus test kits. At COVIDtests.gov , you’ll find information about testing and a link to the U.S. Postal Service – special.usps.com/testkits – where you can order up to four rapid tests to be sent to your home address.
Jan 11, 2023 · BOSTON - If you recently received free government-issued COVID test kits, check the expiration dates on the back. Some may have expired or they may be expiring soon.
