Can you use a Covid test at a later date?

[MumOfAToddler26]

So long story short DH had symptoms of Covid so ordered a home test, however by the time it arrived it had passed the 5 day testing window so my question is can we keep the test and use and send off if any further symptoms at a later date?
Does that make sense 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️
So we keep the test as it's not needed now, and if he develops symptoms at any point again can he just take the test and send it off?! Thank you 😊

[Mammyloveswine]

Yes you can

[welshweasel]

Yes you can, so long as you never registered it

[ihearttc]

I’d like to know that as well. I managed to order one but it was on the last possible day so by the time it arrived I decided to not do it. So I’ve just got it sitting here. So if/when we need another one I should just go on and register it and it should work?

[TeaInTheGarden]

I was going to ask this. Our council said we can all get tested as our son is in middle school. So I ordered home tests under the community testing criteria.

I was going to save wait and use them on Monday after the kids have been off school for a couple of days, but leaving a decent amount of time to get results by Xmas....
but I’ve since realised it says to use within 48 hours....
I’m now worrying that the liquid in the test kit may “go off”?! Are the tests definitely useable for a while? Don’t want to put 3 kids through the test and they don’t work!

[Notglam]

Yes, I did this in the same situation. Registered it when we used it a few months later.

[newyeardelurker]

Yes, got sent two instead of one. Kept the second, registered and used a couple of months later. There is an expiry date on the vial, mine was around a year I think.

[TeaInTheGarden]

Ah great news there’s a expiry date on there, that makes me feel better! (Not opened the packets yet so didn’t realise this)
Thanks!