You may not need to throw away those “expired” Covid-19 home tests

CNN
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Four free at-home Covid-19 antigen tests are available to order from COVIDTests.gov, part of the seventh round of the federal government's test distribution program.

And even though this round of test orders has only been going on for a month, some people have reported that some tests are nearing their expiration date.

It may be tempting to throw away tests or other at-home Covid-19 testing kits that have labels nearing their expiration date, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is urging people to check its website for extensions before they may throw away perfectly good tests.

These antigen tests, often called rapid tests, detect proteins, called antigens, of the virus that causes Covid-19. They can deliver positive or negative test results in minutes at your home.

The FDA states that the shelf life is “how long the test is expected to perform as expected and is measured from the date of manufacture of the test.” The expiration date is “set at the end of the shelf life and is the date by which the test is expected to last Testing works just as accurately as when it was manufactured.”

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says some Covid-19 tests can still work properly up to one year after the expiry date stated on the label, provided they are stored properly.

“As long as they haven't been seriously abused and exposed to the sun or otherwise shown any sort of 'aggression' when tested, they should still work,” Schaffner said.

Covid-19 test manufacturers set these dates through laboratory testing, he noted.

“They make the tests and then put them on the shelf,” Schaffner said. “They periodically take them off the shelf for two months, four months, six months, etc. and check how well they work to give the Food and Drug Administration assurance that they continue to work as intended.”

Experts recommend a Covid-19 test if symptoms such as cough, fever, shortness of breath and fatigue occur. Different respiratory infections can have similar symptoms, so it may be difficult to determine the cause of your illness. The FDA recommends people take several rapid tests to make sure they do not have Covid-19: two negative tests for people with symptoms and three for people without symptoms, taken 48 hours apart.

Prescription medications like Paxlovid can help with Covid-19 symptoms and Tamiflu can treat the flu. However, these medications work best when taken soon after symptoms begin. It is therefore best to get tested if you feel sick.

“The respiratory tract, the nose, the throat and the bronchi, which extend to the lungs, are simple organs,” said Schaffner. “They respond similarly to most types of respiratory viral infections. All of these viruses can cause cold symptoms, but then they become more symptomatic.”

With respiratory virus season approaching, experts recommend getting vaccinated against Covid-19, flu and RSV. if eligible, in the fall to provide protection when the season peaks between December and March.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive a Covid-19 vaccine for 2024-25, as well as an updated flu shot. The RSV vaccine is recommended for everyone age 75 and older, as well as those age 60 and older who are at higher risk of serious illness.

The vaccines help expose your immune system to these germs, making you less likely to become seriously ill if you become infected with them.

“This is how these vaccines work: They prevent serious illness,” said Schaffner. “Our patients complain when they get minor infections because they say, 'I felt bad for four days.' I wouldn't call that mild.' We are sorry that you suffered from the flu for several days, but I am glad that you did not have to enjoy the benefits of our hospital.”