July 15, 2024- The Food and Drug Administration extended the expiration dates of some at-home COVID tests. This came after test manufacturers provided data to the FDA that proved the tests were lasting longer than previously thought. As a result, some manufacturers started placing new expiration stickers over old expiration dates. Walgreens has carried a variety of brands of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests since they first became available. The company also has its own Walgreens At-Home COVID-19 Test Kit.
Other tests on the market include Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Self Test, ACON Labs’ Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Test and Genabio COVID-19 Rapid Self-Test Kit. Additionally, Walgreens just started selling the FaStep® COVID-19 Antigen Pen Home Test, which features an innovative test design with the same cost and reliability of other at-home COVID tests.
If you’re not sure which test to get—whether it’s a test to take at home, or a PCR or Rapid NAAT test —ask a pharmacist. They have been trained on all the testing options.