Free COVID tests available again....

[mn54]

Thank you I am never sick (been years since I have had a cold) so feeling kind of odd at the idea. And if I do it means I will have to cancel an important doctor appointment for Thursday I've waited months for.

doesn't it sound odd that you have to cancel a doctor's appointment because you don't feel well? isn't that why you should be going to the doctor?

 

[splitwdw]

mn54, it depends on what kind of doctor. I wouldn't think a heart specialist or oncologist would want to see you if you have covid.

 

[disneysteve]

doesn't it sound odd that you have to cancel a doctor's appointment because you don't feel well? isn't that why you should be going to the doctor?

I don't think it sounds odd at all. If you have a contagious disease like COVID, you certainly don't want to go spread it around to the staff and other patients at the office.

 

[Sunset]

I need to buy a test I guess mine all expired again and I have a fever. . .

I'd use the expired test or 2 of them.

The expiry date is just an estimate and many things last longer.

 

[Alan]

I'd use the expired test or 2 of them.

The expiry date is just an estimate and many things last longer.

Good idea. From what I’ve seen, the same test kits we buy in the UK have at least double the expiration time than in the USA. Every kit here has an issue and expiration date and is 2 years long.

 

[audreyh1]

I believe many tests had their expiry date moved out 6 months to a year after what is printed on the box. I don’t have the Fed site link handy where you can look it up.

 

[EastWest Gal]

A virus went around locally and I was sicker last week than I was when I had Covid in January. I tested myself several times and was negative. I bought them at our local Wegmans for $8 each.

 

[Aerides]

I don't think it sounds odd at all. If you have a contagious disease like COVID, you certainly don't want to go spread it around to the staff and other patients at the office.

Exactly, and if you home test you don't need to visit a doc in person, just call in and get a scrip if you want.

Home tests may no longer be freely distributed, but they are not expensive unless you want to test a whole bunch. (my last cold I tested 3x in 3 days, and only tested the third day for DH's benefit).

And I'd still trust a Positive from a long-expired test. It's the negatives that were never that reliable and that was always the case.

 

[TrvlBug]

I used expired 2/2024 tests (they expire date had been extended) last week for both DH and I and we tested positive. A very strong positive, no faint lines.

 

[badatmath]

I don't think it sounds odd at all. If you have a contagious disease like COVID, you certainly don't want to go spread it around to the staff and other patients at the office.

Yeah I tested negative and no fever today I think I broke it last night. . . Kind of odd. Normally no fever if it was a cold, no sneezing if flu. . . Runny nose cost me a whole box of kleenx though! I don't entirely trust the test results but the lack of fever is good enough for me.

I run a bit low on normal body temp anyway so to get a fever is kind of notable. I never usually make it up to 98.6 when they check me.

 

[joesxm3]

Could it be that the test is ok despite the date if the control line comes in nice and sharp?

 

[Sunset]

Yeah I tested negative and no fever today I think I broke it last night. . . Kind of odd. Normally no fever if it was a cold, no sneezing if flu. . . Runny nose cost me a whole box of kleenx though! I don't entirely trust the test results but the lack of fever is good enough for me.

I run a bit low on normal body temp anyway so to get a fever is kind of notable. I never usually make it up to 98.6 when they check me.

Could have been RSV.

There is shot for it, which is great as there never was one before.
We have been slow to get it.

 

[badatmath]

Could have been RSV.

There is shot for it, which is great as there never was one before.
We have been slow to get it.

Yeah it was the shortest fever producing illness I ever had. I'm too "young" for the vaccine but I wondered if it was that. I had a lot of sneezing which doesn't really fit a short flu. But I am more or less back to as normal as I ever get.

 

[badatmath]

They are back with more tests! Just ordered mine. Says shipping starts 9/30.

How it works: Tests can be ordered on COVIDTests.gov, which directs people to a U.S. Postal Service site.

I'm not entirely convinced these are accurate but if so I still have not had covid.

 

[MichaelB]

They are back with more tests! Just ordered mine. Says shipping starts 9/30.

How it works: Tests can be ordered on COVIDTests.gov, which directs people to a U.S. Postal Service site.

Thanks!

 

[pacergal]

ordered ours this morning

 

[athena53]

Hmmm... I just checked the box from the one I used last week and it expired 2 years ago. Result was positive so I'm taking it seriously anyway. Better order some new ones.

 

[TrvlBug]

Darn it...I picked up a couple of two-packs at the drugstore last week . Will order some more though.

 

[latexman]

I just ordered 4 for home, and 4 for the FL condo.

 

[badatmath]

Darn it...I picked up a couple of two-packs at the drugstore last week . Will order some more though.

Are they expensive? I kind of assumed insurance would pay but I never looked at them.

 

[splitwdw]

Are they expensive? I kind of assumed insurance would pay but I never looked at them.

I picked up a few in early Sept due to lots of covid around here and they were $10 for 1 test. They have much better expiration dates.

 

[TrvlBug]

Are they expensive? I kind of assumed insurance would pay but I never looked at them.

Bought at CVS for $20 a 2-pack. Same price as when they first came out. I don't recall insurance ever covering the test kits. The expiration dates are much longer than I've ever seen, 2026 IIRC.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Just got my 4 free Covid tests shipped to me via USPS. Opened up the package to see expiration dates on the test boxes of 01/16/24. What? Am I seeing this right? Why can’t they mail us something more reasonable? No wonder they are free. Thanks Uncle Sam.

 

[jollystomper]

Just got my 4 free Covid tests shipped to me via USPS. Opened up the package to see expiration dates on the test boxes of 01/16/24. What? Am I seeing this right? Why can’t they mail us something more reasonable? No wonder they are free. Thanks Uncle Sam.

The expiration dates of many tests have been extended. See this link: At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

 

[Car-Guy]

Just got my 4 free Covid tests shipped to me via USPS. Opened up the package to see expiration dates on the test boxes of 01/16/24. What? Am I seeing this right? Why can’t they mail us something more reasonable? No wonder they are free. Thanks Uncle Sam.

Same here. Got mine today and with a similar expiration date. It's no wonder why the nine most terrifying words in the English language are "I’m from the government and I’m here to help".

I looked up my kits lot number and the expiration dates have been extended by one year. Based on the original expiration date, my kits that I received today, are good for another 110 days. "Almost worthless", IMO...