DHD#10 Issues Guidance on Delivered COVID-19 At-Home Tests

District Health Department #10 is issuing guidance on how to make sure COVID-19 tests received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the USPS work properly.

According to the health department, at-home test kits are being delivered to homes, and those in Michigan have most likely been in frigid temperatures during transit or during delivery to mailboxes.

They say many are asking if this could impact the effectiveness of the tests, and state according to the FDA, the performance of at-home tests should not be impacted if they are prepared correctly.

District Health Department #10 notes that proper test performance assumes the test is being performed in an environment that is between 59-86 degrees Fahrenheit, or 15-30 degrees Celsius.

To ensure that appropriate test performance with a test that is delivered to you in below freezing temperatures, DHD#10 says Michiganders should do the following:

• Bring the package inside your home and leave it unopened at room temperature for at least two hours before opening it.
• Once the package is at room temperature, you may open it and perform the test according to the authorized instructions for use.
• As long as the test line(s) appear as described in the instructions, you can be confident that the test is performing as it should.
• If the line(s) do not appear in the correct location(s) and within the correct time as shown in the test instructions when you perform the test, then the results may not be accurate, and a new test is needed to get an accurate result.

Every home is eligible for four free at-home COVID-19 tests. HHS says those tests should ship between 7-12 days after ordering, starting in late Jan.

To learn more about these tests,

DHD#10 asks Michiganders that positive at-home tests be reported

It is also important to note that DHD#10 does not offer coronavirus testing, and do not carry testing supplies at their offices.

For more information on COVID-19,