Expired rapid test kits are still valid, says SHA

A Regina mother is shocked she was given a COVID-19 rapid test kit that had an expiration date from the summer.

When Sarah Wilkie's two-year-old came down with a cough last week, shetook her to COVID-19 drive-thru testingsitein Regina. While in line Wilkie was given rapid test kits.

"I didn't look at it, I just was happy to get rapid tests and went on my way," said Wilkie.

On Sunday evening Wilkie went again to the drive-in test clinic to get herself tested and was given more rapid tests.

"The person who was giving me the swab mentioned they do say they're expired, but the manufacturer said that it was still good for at least six months afterwards."

This morning Wilkie saw on social mediaa number of other people around the province had also been given test kits past their expiry date.

Wilkie did some research and foundthe Health Canada'sCOVID-19 website said the test kits were still viable up to10 months past the expiry date on the box.

For example, if the expiry date printed on the label was June 9, 2021, the new expiry date would be April 9, 2022.

Any boxes that have an expiration date in 2022 can be used four months past the expiry date.

Late Monday morning the Saskatchewan Health Authority sent out a tweet stating they've received questions about the kit, and that the expiry dates were extended by Health Canada.

And Monday afternoon the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agencyissued a statement saying on Oct. 18 Health Canada authorized "an Expansion of Use to the BD VeritorSystem for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 authorization for a shelf life extension from 12 to 16 months."

The SPSA said the instructions for use and packaging were not updated to reflect this change. In Saskatchewan, information is sent out to each distribution site with these kits to explain the apparent discrepancy and to alleviate any confusion.

"Unfortunately, we cannot speak at to why a client was not informed about the extension of the expiry date for these tests," the SPSA said.

The SPSA said the shelf life extension applies to kits already handed out, as well as those being given out currently. It said any questions related to this should be directed to Health Canada as they originally adjusted the shelf life extension.

Wilkie said she isn't concerned the tests are invalid, "but I'm still upset about why are we getting these tests now?

"The ones I got when my daughter was tested expired this Aug. 2, and the ones they gave me yesterday were July 23," she said.

"These were in existence and just not given out to the public, or tothe schools or anybody, obviously, if they're only giving them out now."

One person responding to her tweet did say there was a letter in their test kit that explained it had not expired.

Wilkie said the province needs to communicate better with the public around this issue.

"If you're frazzled parent with a sick kid, are you going to just not notice and then see that expiry date and think that all your tests were inaccurate?

"I definitely want to know where these were, why we weren't given them months ago when they maybe could have been helpful in preventing the catastrophe of the fourth wave or at least mitigating it somewhat," Wilkie said.