Was Your Flu/Covid Test Kit Delivered in the Cold? Here’s What You Need to Know

We are deep into winter now, and while all the snow is nice, the colder weather has brought with it an extreme flu season. Sensibly, people are staying prepared with a 3-in-1 Influenza A/B & Covid test kits. Now that temperatures are low, some will naturally worry as to whether their test kit is still safe to use after being delivered and potentially left in the cold for an extended period. Fortunately, despite their small size, these test kits are mighty durable, and are made to withstand the colder temperatures, even below freezing. This quick guide will help show you why exposure to the cold doesn’t mean your test kit has been damaged, and that they’re more than capable of taking the cold. 

Cold Flu/Covid Test Kit Doesn't Equal Broken

Because test kits serve many people from all corners of the world, they’re made to withstand temperatures both hot and cold. You don’t have to take my word for it; testing has been done on this very topic. With test kits exposed to a variety of conditions including below freezing for up to 2 weeks, before being allowed to return to room temperature, and even when exposed to such extreme temperatures, returning the test to room temperature still gave accurate results for both positive and negative samples. It goes to show just how durable and reliable these test kits are, and they need to be in order to help as many people as possible.

What to do if Your Flu/Covid Test Kits Are Cold

For those of us facing the Canadian winter, it may cause alarm when your test arrives cold, or frozen, but there’s no need to panic. If your tests are delivered in freezing temperatures, All you need to do is allow your tests to return to room temperature before opening and using. The reason for this is that attempting to use the test kit when it's still cold can potentially interfere with how the liquid sample flows across the test strip, which can potentially affect performance and accuracy. Letting the test kit return to room temperature before using ensures the test operates under the conditions it was validated for. Once the test is fully defrosted, you can use the tests as normal, with the same performance you've come to expect from our test kits.

So, when your tests arrive cold, you have no need to worry. Remember, that test kits are sent all around the world, and built to last in climates, hot and cold. What matters isn’t the temperature you receive the parcel at, but what it is when you’re using your test kit. If you’ve let your test kit go back to room, temperature, then your tests are good to go.