Can I use an expired Covid test? Pharmacist answers important question as 'Nimbus' variant detected

• A leading pharmacist is warning against using old Covid tests.
• George Sandhu, deputy superintendent at Well Pharmacy is urging people to avoid using tests that have expired.
• Cases of NB 1.8.1, known as the ‘Nimbus’ variant have been found in the UK.

A leading pharmacist is warning against using old Covid tests from the pandemic - amid a rise in UK infections.

Covid cases have increased over the last month after the discovery of a new variant, the spread of which is now being monitored by the World Health Organisation.

The NB 1.8.1 variant has reportedly been causing a spike in infections and hospitalisations in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Now, the UK Health Security Agency has reported 13 cases of the new variant in England this week.

New infections of all Covid strains have been at more than 1,000 for the last fortnight and 72 people have died due to related conditions in the last week, according to the government.

With infections on the rise, George Sandhu, deputy superintendent at Well Pharmacy, is urging those feeling unwell against using any pandemic-era lateral flow testing kits.

Can I use an expired Covid test?

While it may be tempting to use a Covid test that may be expired, Mr Sandhu advises against it, as using an out of date test is unlikely to give you an accurate result.

Mr Sandhu said: “Home-test kits played a vital role in the UK’s fight against the global pandemic, but any left lurking at the back of your bathroom cabinet are almost certainly out of date today.

“While there is no requirement to self-isolate today, the danger of relying on an expired lateral flow test is that it gives a false negative - and therefore risks giving the user false confidence that they are not infectious to other people.

“Because NB 1.8.1 is a variant of Covid, an in-date test should be able to detect it, along with other strains of the virus, so I would urge anyone taking one, to ensure it has not expired.”

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Are Covid tests still free?

Covid tests are available to purchase from your local pharmacy, supermarket or online.

The tests involve taking a quick swab inside the nose or from the throat, and should give a positive or negative result within minutes.

If you are eligible for Covid treatment on the NHS, this includes anyone aged 12 or over at high risk of serious illness from Covid, those over the age of 75, or those who live in a care home, you are eligible for free Covid tests.

Mr Sandhu believes it is vital that we don’t overlook Covid this summer, and urges people who suspect they may have symptoms to take a Covid test.

He said: “While it is clear that we all hope for a long, hot summer which in turn will give us plenty of time to spend in the sun with the family, it is important to make sure that we protect against viruses including Covid.

“Covid is still a serious issue in the UK, so we would encourage anyone who feels unwell and believes they may have Covid to purchase a Covid test to get peace of mind.”

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