As tens of millions of at-home COVID-19 tests from the government make their way to Americans in the mail, many parts of the country are facing sub-zero temperatures.
So what happens if your test kit freezes on the way to your house? Can you still use it?
All at-home COVID-19 tests should be stored within a certain temperature range, usually 3686F (230C).
The temperature range for your test will be listed on the instructions that came with the box or on the manufacturers website.
Storage of these kinds of rapid antigen tests for extended periods outside this range can produce less accurate results, according to a study last year in the Journal of Clinical Virology.
How much the results are impacted depends on how long the kit has been hot or cold and whether it went through repeated cycles of freezing and thawing.
At-home COVID-19 tests contain liquid and other components that, if frozen or too cold for a long time, can skew the results.
To ensure that the test will work as intended, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that people follow the instructions that come with the test or online, which includes temperature and other storage guidelines.
Manufacturers have also developed the tests with temperature fluctuations during shipping in mind.
Since shipping conditions may vary, test developers perform stability testing to ensure that the test performance will remain stable when tests are stored at various temperatures, the FDA said, including shipping during the summer in very hot regions and in the winter in very cold regions.
Dr. Amy Karger, chair of the College of American Pathologists Point-of-Care Testing Committee, thinks we need more independent study of the impact of temperature fluctuations during shipping on at-home tests.
However, there havent been any reports or any evidence to suggest that the kits are compromised by shipping temperatures, she said. So I would cautiously say that they should be fine.
In addition, a single freeze-thaw isnt going to destroy the rapid antigen test, epidemiologist Dr. Michael Mina wrote on Twitter. [It] may reduce sensitivity a little bit, but not much.
A spokesperson for Abbott Laboratories, maker of the BinaxNOW test, confirmed this.
If the test is stored outside the [35.686F] temperature range for a relatively short period of time for a couple of hours up to a day or two it will be fine to use, the spokesperson told Healthline.
If your at-home test arrives in the mail very cold or frozen, the FDA recommends that you bring the package inside your home and leave it unopened at room temperature for at least two hours before opening it.
If you were to perform the test with a kit thats too cold or too hot, that does affect the accuracy of the test, said Karger.
Room temperature for most at-home tests is approximately 5986F (1530C). But again, check the instructions that came with your test.
You probably wont know if your at-home test froze and thawed several times during shipping, but Karger said there are some signs that a test may not be working properly.
Most tests have a control line that should always appear whether youre positive or negative for the coronavirus.
Karger said if the control line doesnt show up, takes longer to appear than indicated on the instructions or appears before you run the test, you should not rely on the result.
The Ellume COVID-19 Home Test has an internal control that will trigger a Test Error result if the product is exposed to extreme temperature and humidity that could be damaging to the test reagents.
If you think your test may not be working properly, take another test, either an at-home test or a PCR test.
High temperatures can also cause a problem with at-home COVID-19 tests.
The maximum storage temperature for most COVID-19 tests is 86F (30C), but check the instructions that came with the test.
Very high heat can cause a lot of damage to a rapid antigen test, wrote Mina on Twitter. Dont let your test boil in the sun in the summer the proteins can fall apart and the test can be irreparably harmed.
The instructions for some tests also recommend against placing the test in direct sunlight, which may damage the components in the test. This is a good rule of thumb to follow for all tests.
If your at-home COVID-19 test is positive, thats a good indication that you have a coronavirus infection. For most tests, the chance of a false positive occurring is small.
In this case, follow the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidelines, including isolating and wearing a well-fitting face mask if you have to be around others.
A negative test indicates that no coronavirus was detected in your sample.
This might be because you dont have a coronavirus infection. However, a negative result can also happen for other reasons.
If you get a negative result, especially if you have [COVID-19] symptoms, you should take that negative with a grain of salt, said Karger.
For example, if you take the test early during a coronavirus infection, the test can give a negative result because the amount of virus in your body isnt high enough for the test to detect. There could also be a problem with the test kit.
If you do get a negative result and youre symptomatic, you should still stay at home, said Karger.
You should still behave as if you have COVID and continue to test on a daily basis, for a few days at least, because some people are reporting not turning positive until day three and even four.
Read more:
Can Freezing Temps Affect COVID-19 Tests Delivered to Your Mailbox? - Healthline
- 2024 CDC COVID-19 guidelines: Isolation, masks, what you should know - The Arizona Republic - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Long Covid and Impaired Cognition More Evidence and More Work to Do | NEJM - nejm.org - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Prospective Memory Assessment before and after Covid-19 | NEJM - nejm.org - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- A pandemic that won't go away as COVID enters its 5th year, NZ needs a realistic strategy - The Conversation - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Older US adults should get another COVID-19 shot, advisers say - Detroit News - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Vaping increases susceptibility to COVID-19 infection, study finds - News-Medical.Net - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Older U.S. adults should get another covid-19 shot, advisers say - TribLIVE - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Vapers More Susceptible to COVID-19 Infection Than Tobacco Smokers, Reveals Study | Weather.com - The Weather Channel - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- How we met: She was in the next hospital bed and I loved her accent - The Guardian - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Fleet To Hit Record Size In 2024 But Still Suffering Covid Hangover - Forbes - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- How vaccine hesitancy is contributing to rising rates of measles and COVID - PBS NewsHour - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- How did COVID-19 impact cancer incidence trends in the US? - News-Medical.Net - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- CT-based Assessment at 6-Month Follow-up of COVID-19 Pneumonia patients in China | Scientific Reports - Nature.com - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Covid in 2024: What to Know About Guidelines, Symptoms and Vaccines - WSJ - The Wall Street Journal - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Unlocking coronavirus structure through M protein research - News-Medical.Net - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- SARS-CoV-2 fragments may cause problems after infection - National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov) - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- People 65 and up should now get another COVID-19 vaccine, CDC recommends - cleveland.com - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Welcome to the 2024 CFA Annual Report | Covid-19 | news-journal.com - Longview News-Journal - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Exploring the reported adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines among vaccinated Arab populations: a multi-national ... - Nature.com - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- R.I. COVID-19 cases increased by 337 last week, with 2 deaths - Providence Business News - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Older US adults should get another COVID-19 shot, advisers say - NBC Bay Area - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Cognitive Deficits Seen in COVID-19 Patients Regardless of Symptom Duration - HealthDay - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- CDC recommends seniors get another Covid-19 shot - Baltimore Sun - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- Odds of Severe COVID-19 High for Hematologic Cancer Patients During Pandemic - HealthDay - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- COVID-19 may have small but lasting effects on cognition and memory | Imperial News - Imperial College London - February 29th, 2024 [February 29th, 2024]
- More free home COVID-19 tests available from US government - WCVB Boston - November 20th, 2023 [November 20th, 2023]
- Seniors made up 63 percent of covid hospitalizations earlier this year - The Washington Post - November 20th, 2023 [November 20th, 2023]
- Fifth Covid-19 wave sees biggest bump in virus detection since ... - New Zealand Herald - November 20th, 2023 [November 20th, 2023]
- KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor November 2023: With COVID ... - KFF - November 20th, 2023 [November 20th, 2023]
- What to Know About the New Dominant Covid Variant - The New York Times - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- Should You Get Another Covid Booster Now, or Wait Until the Fall? - The New York Times - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- A 'mini cyclone' helps detect coronavirus in the air - Science News Explores - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- Infection prevention and control in the context of coronavirus ... - World Health Organization - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- Serum ferritin level during hospitalization is associated with Brain ... - Nature.com - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Theft and ... - Department of Justice - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- Posts Exaggerate Significance of Swiss Study on Heart Risk and ... - FactCheck.org - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- Wenstrup Presses Department of Education for Answers on Misuse ... - House Committee on Oversight and Reform | - August 12th, 2023 [August 12th, 2023]
- Biden Administration Fails to Share Intel on COVID-19 Origins, but Independent Evidence Is Piling Up - Heritage.org - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Do I need a booster vaccine if I recently had COVID? What if I'm not sure what I had? - The Conversation - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Psychics, wrestlers and churches: How online shopping and Covid changed mall tenants - Buffalo News - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Report: Incarcerated populations up 4% post-COVID - CorrectionsOne - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- The National Average for Gross Revenue at ECP Locations Decreased for the Week of June 12 18, Jobson's Latest ... - Vision Monday - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- ODNI Releases Report on the Potential Links Between the Wuhan ... - Office of the Director of National Intelligence - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- U.S. Intelligence Agencies May Never Find Covid's Origins, Officials ... - The New York Times - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Covid-19 likely came from lab leak, says news report citing US energy ... - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Classified Energy Department report finds lab leak likely cause of ... - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Mayor Kirk Watson tests positive for COVID-19 - KEYE TV CBS Austin - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Biden's plan for ending the emergency declaration for COVID-19 signals a pivotal point in the pandemic 4 questions answered - The Conversation... - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Study finds one habit can significantly lower your odds of getting sick from COVID-19 - KATU - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- How will life change once the COVID-19 emergency ends? - KFOX El Paso - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Shipping Corporation of India and Seven Islands Shipping re-join membership of INSA - ETInfra.com - January 30th, 2023 [January 30th, 2023]
- COVID-19 Response | United Nations - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- Top German virologist says COVID-19 pandemic is over - Hindustan Times - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- China says impossible to track COVID spread as virus surges - Al Jazeera English - December 14th, 2022 [December 14th, 2022]
- What are the most common COVID symptoms now? Its no longer fever, loss of taste - AL.com - December 14th, 2022 [December 14th, 2022]
- Entropy and life - Wikipedia - November 27th, 2022 [November 27th, 2022]
- Negentropy - Wikipedia - November 27th, 2022 [November 27th, 2022]
- Coronavirus: OC reported 1,602 new cases and six more deaths over the past week, as of Nov. 17 - OCRegister - November 19th, 2022 [November 19th, 2022]
- How COVID-19 damages lungs: The virus attacks mitochondria, continuing an ancient battle that began in the primordial soup - The Conversation - October 30th, 2022 [October 30th, 2022]
- How to save this winter on heating costs - WKYC.com - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- 'Fonseca' book review: The Goan artist's biography misses the art of the matter - The New Indian Express - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Researchers' tests of lab-made version of Covid virus draw scrutiny - STAT - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- Coronavirus: Orange County reported 1,427 more cases and seven more deaths in the past week as of Oct. 20 - OCRegister - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- 3 Illinois Counties at High Community Level for COVID-19 as 1 Million Bivalent Booster Shots Have Been Administered - NBC Chicago - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- What Is Coronavirus? | Johns Hopkins Medicine - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Gaston County reported 177 additional COVID-19 cases this week - Gaston Gazette - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Coronavirus Roundup: The Biden Administration Renews the Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 - GovExec.com - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Circulation of Public Warning Alert on COVID-19 vaccines fraudulently using PAHO's name and logo - World - ReliefWeb - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Time to Get Your Flu Shot and Your COVID-19 Booster Too - Health.mil - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Evasive COVID-19 subvariants that you dont know about are spreading fast - Poynter - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Deer and mink can harbor Covid-19: Why animal virologists say we need to worry - Inverse - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Europe likely entering another COVID wave, says WHO and ECDC - Reuters - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Without a nasal vaccine, the U.S. edge in fighting Covid is on the line - POLITICO - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- COVID-19 Daily Update 10-17-2022 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Coronavirus: Government seeking to extend powers behind COVID restrictions until 2025 - Newshub - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Shocking: EcoHealth Alliance receives another round of funding for coronavirus bat research in Asia - The Center Square - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Opportunities in Health Education in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Transforming Viral to Vital - Cureus - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Fauci says COVID-19 was politicized by triple whammy of outbreak, division and 2020 election - WJTV - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- How long does immunity from the new COVID bivalent boosters last 'in the real world'? - San Francisco Chronicle - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Respiratory illnesses have spiked among children. Here's what parents need to know. - Yahoo News - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]