Is your at-home COVID-19 test kit still effective?

With fall fast approaching and COVID-19 case numbers rising quickly, you may be wondering if the dusty test kit you haven’t touched for several months is still effective, and the short answer is, it depends.

Chris Chiew, vice president of Pharmacy and Healthcare Innovation for London Drugs and president of the BC Pharmacy Association, explains there’s an easy way to check.

“There is an expiry date on the box itself. I know that the manufacturer has extended the expiry date of those particular test kits, so what I would suggest doing is, if you do have one at home that shows it has expired check with the pharmacy or the BCCDC website, it actually has the extended expiry dates,” Chiew told CityNews.

“You’ll be able to see the exact lot numbers and the expiry date it does show on the box. On the next column, it will show the new expiry date.”

Chiew says if the kit you have is past the new expiry date, then throw it out.

“We want to make sure that if you’re using a test kit that has not expired to ensure you are getting as accurate results as possible.”

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Chiew adds the older test kits can still trace the new variant, which was first discovered in B.C. a few weeks ago, but he says you should test for a couple of days in a row, to confirm whether you are positive or negative.

He says free test kits are still available at your local pharmacy and if you need one to prepare for what’s predicted to be a difficult fall, get it now.

Chiew adds case numbers are piling up quickly in B.C.

“We’re actually already seeing some increased number of sick calls happening within our own pharmacies and then with respect to what we’re seeing with case numbers that’s being reported — wastewater systems and such — we are starting to see an increased number of COVID cases happening right now,” he said.

Overall, when it comes to fighting COVID-19, he says the same rules apply wash your hands, get lots of rest, wear a mask, and stay home if you don’t feel well.

“At the first sign of a sore throat, fever, runny nose… you can test. Even if it is negative, and you are feeling symptoms, you should still take the same precautions of helping to protect others. It could be the cold and you don’t want to spread that to other family members or other people within the public as well.”

Chiew says extra staff were hired over the summer to help dole out shots when the time comes.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said Tuesday that he and Dr. Bonnie Henry will be meeting soon to nail down details of the fall vaccine campaign. People can expect both flu and COVID-19 vaccines to be available at the same time next month, which some have questioned as it will lead to B.C. missing the fall wave, which is currently underway.

-With files from Hana Mae Nassar