Free at-home COVID test kits start again for fall season. Can you still use old ones?
Fall is in full swing, school is in session and the holidays are coming up, but with this season comes increasing cases of COVID-19.
In the virus’ fifth fall, omicron variants nicknamed FLiRT, including KP.2 and KP.3, now account for about half of all cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surpassing the JN.1 variant that dominated last winter.
To prepare for an expected case increase, the Biden Administration has relaunched the free, at-home COVID-19 testing kit delivery program.
Here’s what you need to know.
Where can I get free COVID testing kits?
Each household is eligible for one free testing kit delivery, which includes four at-home COVID-19 tests, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
You can order the tests online on the HHS website, which directs you to USPS. You will be asked to input your name, email and shipping address. The tests and shipping are completely free.
You can also order the kits over the phone by calling 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).
The site is active to place orders, but tests will start being shipped the week of Sept. 30, HHS says.
The tests are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR tests (polymerase chain reaction). Both are able to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, but PCR tests are more accurate in detecting the virus when there is very little of it inside the body. At-home tests are more likely to pick up on symptomatic cases or multiple days after exposure.
However, a January 2022 study of more than 900,000 rapid antigen tests found that only 0.5% of tests lead to false positives, and the remaining are accurate as long as the test has not expired, McClatchy News reported.
The at-home tests can be used no matter your vaccination status and if you do not have symptoms, HHS says.
After taking a test, you can report your results to MakeMyTestCount.org to help public health agencies stay up-to-date on case numbers.
I still have kits from last year. Are they still accurate?
Some testing kits that were distributed last year or purchased from stores in the past few months may still be accurate in detecting cases, while others do expire.
The Food and Drug Administration maintains a list of tests and their expiration dates, some of which have been extended past the date labeled on the testing kit itself.
QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 tests (also sold under the names CVS Health At Home COVID-19 Test Kit and Walgreens At-Home COVID-19 Test Kit), for example, is a nasal swab test with a shelf life of 16 months. This was extended by the FDA past the expiration date listed on the box.
The expiration date for BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Tests, also a nasal test, was extended to 22 months, according to the FDA.
When the tests expire they are more likely to provide inaccurate results, so using a valid test is essential for determining your COVID-19 status.
Is a new booster shot available?
The 2024-2025 booster shot is available at pharmacies across the country and are stocked or expected at doctors offices in the coming weeks.
The booster is recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months, but strongly recommended for people who have never had a COVID-19 shot before, are over the age of 65 or have pre-existing conditions, according to the CDC.
Cases started to spike in August of this year, and are expected to stick to a six-month oscillating pattern with both a fall/winter peak and a spring/summer peak, McClatchy News reported.
COVID-19 booster shots can be given at the same time as flu shots, the CDC says.
To find a vaccination location near you, visit vaccines.gov.
This story was originally published September 26, 2024 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Free at-home COVID test kits start again for fall season. Can you still use old ones?."
