Most of the free COVID-19 tests that the US Portal services are mailing will be past their expiration dates within a couple of months. This is due to the manufacturing date when they were made, including the inventory management processes involved.
Health officials highlight that the sooner one uses the tests, the better, especially during the fall and winter seasons when respiratory infections are prevalent.
Millions of free COVID-19 tests are hitting mailboxes around the country, with expiration dates that may catch many recipients by surprise.
According to health officials, most of these tests will have expired within months – at least, without yet having done so.
The director of the Industrial Based Management and Supply Chain Office at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response said older stock was going out first because otherwise it would simply go to waste.
“We’re getting to tests that we’ve had in inventory longer,” Joyner said. “It’s no use if it’s sitting on the shelf and expires.”
Millions of tests have been sent by ASPR since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, with the oldest but still functional tests being shipped first thanks to a “first-in, first-out” system.
By doing this, stagnant inventory that may otherwise expire before reaching the general public is avoided.
The tests remain functional for at least two months, despite the short shelf lives that may worry some people.
Many tests’ expiration dates have also been extended by the FDA when additional research revealed that they are still reliable after the initial written dates.
Officials stress that prompt use is crucial and encourage individuals to utilize the tests this fall and winter, particularly as gatherings rise and respiratory ailments grow.
