Don’t throw out your expired at-home COVID tests just yet
Dec 20, 2022 12:07PM ● By Content Editor
By Justin P. Hicks | [email protected] - MLive News - December 20, 2022
The federal government is giving out more free COVID-19 tests as daily infections and hospitalizations have begun increasing in parts of the country.
Michiganders (and Minnesotans) can add another four at-home antigen tests to their stock by visiting covidtests.gov and submitting an order. For those with unused tests from previous shipments, it’s worthwhile to determine if the expiration date on the box remains true before discarding the supplies.
Among the at least 27 different at-home tests approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 15 had their recommended expiration dates extended as of Friday, Dec. 16. This can add 6 months or more to their shelf lives, allowing families to maintain their stock for longer.
The FDA has an online tool to determine which tests people have and to check whether expiration dates have been updated. Visit the FDA site, here, and find the photo of the box matching your test.
If the expiration date has been extended, match the lot number on the box and the printed expiration date to determine the new date.
If there hasn’t been an extension, the site will refer you back to the box label to know when to discard unused tests.
An adjusted date means the manufacturer provided data showing the shelf-life is longer than was known when the test was first authorized, according to the FDA.
To identify expiration dates, companies use stability testing, most accurately in real time; manufacturers store the tests for the proposed shelf-life (plus a little extra time to ensure the expiration date is reliable) and then evaluates their ability to perform accurately.
In some cases, however, companies use accelerated testing, storing tests for shorter periods at a higher temperature and then assessing performance. However, since accelerated testing only estimates the test stability, it does not provide as much assurance as real-time data, especially for longer time periods, according to the FDA.
Residents can still order free tests through covidtests.gov, or by calling 1-800-232-0233 and providing names and shipping addresses. Orders will begin shipping next week via the U.S. Postal Service, and the limit is one set of four tests per household.
To find a vaccine administration site, visit vaccines.gov or call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the weekends.
