COVID test kits have a limited shelf life. What happens if you use one past its date? Here's what to know before you swab.
These expiration dates are based on stability tests the manufacturers conducted during development to estimate the kits’ shelf lives. But the expiration dates initially listed on the kits’ packaging labels are most likely conservative.
“The worst thing that can happen is being falsely reassured or falsely alarmed by a test result that was based on a reagent that is no longer valid,” Yansouni said.Keep in mind that the rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 are relatively new and have only been around for a couple of years.
. Scroll down to the table of tests and enter “OTC” in the search bar. Then, find the test you are looking for, click on the + symbol to the left of the kit name, and look for a letter granting EUA revisions. You can also call the test kit manufacturer, such as Abbott Diagnostics or Ellume Limited, and ask if they’ve updated the expiration date of your specific kit.
If the test result is important to you, you probably want to be confident in the result and use a kit that hasn’t expired. If you use a kit well past its most recently updated expiration date, you run the risk of getting an inaccurate result. “The only thing worse than no result, is a result that’s lying to you,” Campbell said. “Don’t use one that’s six months outdated.