Covid remains among us, but testing kits are mostly outdated

Usually mom and I don’t have that much garbage, what with using our recycling and green waste bins, as well participating in a composting program. Last week was a little different.

A story in the New York Times earlier this month with the headline “Can I Use an Expired Covid Test?” made me wonder what the answer was.

Covid tests that are no longer good and are in a landfill. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Plus, the latest round for free tests provided by the government had info about figuring out if the tests in our respective bathrooms were usable. Clearly, it was time to consciously keep the tests or ditch them.

No, is the short answer to whether ours were still good. While some of the tests did have their expiration dates extended, all of our tests were no longer good. That’s how we ended up with a lot more garbage than usual.

Now, all we have are the latest tests the government furnished. If you haven’t ordered yours, here is the link to order them.

To find out if your tests are good, go to this Food & Drug Administration page.

Knock on wood, I haven’t felt the need to test for Covid for quite some time. That isn’t true of everyone I know. Friends are still getting Covid—as well as a whole lot of people I don’t know. I’m guessing it’s always going to be with us.

For that reason, I keep getting the latest Covid shot. Knock on wood, I will continue to keep being able to say that I have never had Covid. Mom can say the same thing.