If you're planning to take an at-home COVID test you might want to double check the expiration date first.
With COVID activity rising, many residents might be reaching for their at-home COVID tests, but there are some things you should know before you do.
While many Americans may have unused tests in their homes, it's important to check the expiration dates, experts say.
How to check your COVID test's expiration date
The Food and Drug Administration has extended the expiration dates of many popular at-home test products, which means some such kits may still be safe to use, CNBC reports. You can check expiration dates for each brand using a page on the FDA's website.
The FDA has extended a number of expiration dates, and updated its page as recently as last week.
Meanwhile, according to NBC News, kits that are currently being shipped out from the federal government won’t expire before the end of the year, and those tests that do could potentially have those expiration dates extended. The Biden Administration says that notification will be given to residents if those dates are extended.
Can you use a COVID test after it expires?
While the date on your at-home test box may not be the actual expiration date, the FDA said it does not recommend using tests beyond the authorized expiration dates it sets.
"COVID-19 tests and the parts they are made of may degrade, or break down, over time. Because of this, expired test kits could give inaccurate or invalid test results," the FDA states.
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Where can you get free at-home COVID tests?
Beginning on June 1, the government halted its free at-home test deliveries. It wasn't until Monday that the program resumed.
According to officials, individuals simply need to visit COVIDtests.gov. There, residents can request up to four free tests to be shipped directly to their homes.
The tests are also still available at many major pharmacies, and in some cases, insurance providers may reimburse you for the cost.
Walgreens, for example, has a form customers can use in which they will submit an insurance claim on your behalf.
But beyond the at-home test kits, lab PCR tests have become more challenging to access - and in some cases more expensive - since the national public health emergency ended in May.
Antigen and PCR testing is still available at major pharmacies, like Walgreens, for example, but out of pocket costs could apply, depending on your insurance provider.
You can also use the CDC's testing locator to see if there are any free testing sites near you.
