Do Expired COVID Tests Still Work?
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Fact checked by Nick BlackmerFact checked by Nick Blackmer
Key Takeaways
Many COVID-19 rapid tests have extended expiration dates, so check the FDA’s list before discarding old tests.
Expired COVID tests may provide unreliable negative results, but a positive result is still likely accurate, experts say.
Recalled or damaged tests should not be used, even if they're not expired.
If you have old or expired COVID-19 rapid tests sitting in a drawer, you should double-check if they’re still valid. Some manufacturers have either extended expiration dates for the tests or recalled ineffective ones.
You can use an expired test if you have no other option at the moment, but the results may be inaccurate because the testing materials can break down over time.
“If it’s really important to have an accurate answer, don’t use an expired test,” Luis Ostrosky, MD, chief of infectious diseases with UTHealth Houston, told Verywell.
If you’re using an expired test, make sure the control line shows up, Ostrosky added. After you squeeze the testing liquid into the test strip, a pink or purple control line should appear at the top of valid COVID tests, sometimes next to the letter “C.”
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How to Tell If an Expired COVID Test Still Works
The expiration dates on COVID at-home tests tell you how long the test will provide reliable results. Manufacturers may extend expiration dates after the tests initially hit the market.
“If they have an extended date, they have done further testing within their facility that says that they are confident, or reasonably confident, that the products within the kit are good until a longer date. So if they tell you that, I would believe them,” said Jamie Alan, RPh, PharmD, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains a list of COVID at-home tests with extended expiration dates. If you have old tests, check the lot numbers on the FDA list to see if they’re still valid.
If your test result shows up as positive on an expired test, you’re likely positive, Alan said.
“You just can’t be confident in the negative readings with the expired test. Even with the not expired tests, you have to assume that you did every step correctly. So there’s a lot of caveats with a negative test,” she added.
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Don’t Use Recalled or Damaged COVID Tests
Most at-home COVID tests have a shelf life of four to 24 months. Even if the tests are not expired, keeping them in direct sunlight or freezing temperatures for too long can impact the results. Generally, tests should stay between 36–86°F, but different manufacturers may have their own recommendations.
“It’s not ideal to use a kit that was off temperature. If the control line is working, then likely the test is still working,” Ostrosky said.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings and recalls for some COVID at-home tests. Throw these tests away regardless of the expiration date or control line.
Last year, the FDA issued a recall for certain SD Biosensor Pilot COVID at-home tests due to potential bacterial contamination in the testing liquid. In May, the FDA also warned against using Cue Health’s COVID tests since these may provide false results.
In 2022, the FDA issued warnings for LuSys Laboratories COVID-19 tests, Empowered Diagnostics COVID-19 tests, E25Bio COVID-19 tests, Celltrion DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Rapid Tests in the green and white packaging, SD Biosensor STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test, and the ACON Biotech Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing) in a dark blue box.
Anyone who has old COVID tests should check the lot number on the FDA website to determine if any of these belong in the recalls.
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What This Means For You
If you have old or expired COVID-19 tests, make sure to verify their expiration dates on the FDA’s website. Using an expired test could lead to inaccurate results, so it’s best to use a fresh test for more reliable outcomes.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
