SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. Jan. 26, 2023 – If you have a stockpile of expired at-home COVID-19 tests, don’t throw them out. You can still use them! The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) approved the use of expired at-home COVID-19 tests.
At-home COVID-19 tests come with instructions for how to use the test properly and how to ensure that the results are reliable. The ensured reliability of a test is its quality control. For many at-home tests, the quality control is the line that appears at “C” when drops are added to the test. An expired test is approved for use if it passes the built-in quality control check. Some COVID-19 tests have had their expiration dates extended by the manufacturer. Even if a test has an extended expiration date that is now in the past, tests can still be used if they pass quality control. If the quality control process fails, you should discard the entire box of tests.
If you would like to order free at-home COVID-19 tests, the federal program has been extended. You can order tests online at covid.gov/tests. If you need a test immediately, many pharmacies can provide them at no-cost through your insurance. Ordering tests before you need them is an excellent way to stay prepared. DOH’s approval to use expired tests makes staying prepared even easier.
Relevant URLs:
Si usted tiene una reserva de pruebas caseras de COVID-19 vencidas, no las deseche. ¡Aún las puede usar! El Departamento de salud del estado de Washington (DOH) aprobó el uso de pruebas caseras de COVID-19 vencidas.
Las pruebas caseras de COVID-19 vienen con instrucciones sobre cómo usar la prueba correctamente y cómo garantizar que los resultados sean confiables. La efectividad asegurada de una prueba es su control de calidad. Para muchas pruebas caseras, el control de calidad es la línea que aparece en "C" cuando se agregan gotas a la prueba. Se aprueba el uso de una prueba caducada si pasa la verificación de control de calidad integrada. El fabricante ha extendido la fecha de vencimiento de algunas pruebas de COVID-19. Incluso si una prueba tiene una fecha de vencimiento extendida que ya pasó, las pruebas aún se pueden usar si pasan el control de calidad. Si el proceso de control de calidad falla, debe desechar toda la caja de pruebas.
Si desea solicitar pruebas gratuitas de COVID-19 en el hogar, el programa federal se ha extendido. Puede solicitar pruebas en línea en covid.gov/tests. Si necesita una prueba de inmediato, muchas farmacias pueden proporcionarlas sin costo a través de su seguro. Solicitar pruebas antes de que las necesite es una excelente manera de mantenerse preparado. La aprobación del DOH para usar pruebas vencidas hace que mantenerse preparado sea aún más fácil.
URL relevantes:
Media Contact: Kyra Jahanfar, Program Coordinator – Emergency Preparedness & Communications, kyrak@sanjuanco.com, 360-370-7502
About San Juan County’s Department of Health and Community Services
San Juan County’s Department of Health and Community Services is responsible for community and environmental health, mental health and substance abuse programs, senior services, affordable housing projects, and more. The department has staff and offices on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Health and Community Services, visit www.sanjuanco.com/1777/Health-Community-Services.
###