JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When you're sick and want to know if you have COVID so you don't spread it to others, an over-the-counter test can give you a quick answer. But is the result reliable if the COVID test is expired? Let’s verify.
THE QUESTION
Can you use at-home COVID tests past the expiration date on the box and get reliable results?
THE SOURCES
Chad Nielsen, Infection Prevention Director at UF Health Jacksonville
THE ANSWER
Yes, you can use at-home COVID tests past the expiration date on the box and get reliable results if the FDA has extended the expiration date.
WHAT WE FOUND
Each over-the-counter COVID test has an expiration date listed on the box.
“The expiration dates on COVID tests are based on the products in the test that make the test work. So, if it's past the expiration date, the products that actually make the test work inside could deteriorate or they could no longer be effective,” Nielsen said.
According to the FDA, some expiration dates have been extended if the manufacturer provided data showing the test's shelf life is longer than was known when it was initially authorized.
Nielsen says before you trust the results of an expired test, check the FDA's website.
“The FDA does allow for some COVID tests to be used past their expiration date, depending on the brand, depending on the type of test,” Nielsen said. “But I would not trust the results on an expired test until you've checked with the FDA website on whether or not they've extended that date or not.”
On the FDA’s website you can search by the manufacturer and test name. Then look at the lot number to see if the expiration date has been extended past the date listed on the box.
“If you're using a test and getting a result on a test that's past the expiration date that hasn't been extended, you could be getting potentially a false positive or false negative,” Nielsen said. “You really can't trust the results of that test.”
And even if your test isn't expired, keep in mind no COVID test is 100% accurate.
The FDA says if you get a negative result on your at-home antigen test it does not rule out an infection. That's because some tests may not detect the virus early in an infection. The FDA recommends repeating the test in 48 hours whether or not you have symptoms.
So, we can verify yes some at-home COVID tests are still reliable after the expiration date printed on the box, but only if they that expiration date has been extended by the FDA.
“Check the FDA’s website or the manufacturer’s website to see if that expiration date is intact or if it's been extended. If it has not been extended, you should throw out the test and buy a new one,” Nielsen said.