How long are those at-home COVID tests good for, anyway?
That’s a question likely to be on many people’s minds now that President Joe Biden is planning to end the country’s COVID-19 emergency status on May 11, which means that many Americans may no longer get their COVID tests for free.
Those who may have been stockpiling the free rapid at-home COVID tests that the federal government has sent directly to Americans are probably wondering how long these testing kits will be effective. Google searches for “free Medicare COVID tests” and “free COVID tests from government” have increased 250% and 150%, respectively, in the 24 hours since the Biden announcement, according to Google Trends data. And Google searches along the lines of “COVID test expiration date” have been popular over the past few months.
Coronavirus update: Biden to end U.S. COVID emergencies on May 11, but more than 500 people are still dying every day
But here’s something important to know: That expiration date may not actually mean the test is expired.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the shelf life of many authorized over-the-counter COVID diagnostic tests. For example, the Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 antigen self-test, which originally expired after 15 months, is now good for up to 22 months. Similarly, the iHealth Labs COVID-19 antigen rapid test is now safe to use for 15 months — an increase of three months over the original expiration date.
The FDA’s list of COVID tests on the market indicates whether the shelf life has been extended or not. If there is an extension, the FDA provides a link to information showing the updated expiration dates for individual lots. And the FDA says it will update the information “as additional shelf-life extensions are authorized.”
But where can you find the expiration date, in the first place? It can get confusing, especially since some COVID tests show more than one date, such as a manufacturing date and an expiration date. To clear any confusion, an FDA representative tells MarketWatch that the expiration date is the date listed next to an hourglass icon.
There are two types of COVID tests — molecular and antigen, the FDA explains. Most home tests, including the freebies mailed out by the government, are the antigen type. Keep in mind that the FDA advises that if you use an antigen test, “you should repeat testing following a negative result, whether you have symptoms or not, to reduce your risk of a false negative test result.”
The FDA also recommends storing your at-home COVID testing kit “in its box until you are ready to use it.” It’s generally best to store the tests at room temperature at home, the FDA rep adds, but if you have any questions, you can contact the manufacturer directly.