Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #111

[Auntie Cipation]

Went by my doctor's office & now have an appointment for a Pfizer vaccine shot for next Friday 10/13.

All my others have been Moderna - but they do not have that brand.
Anyone else have a Pfizer shot? Was it okay? Is it the same as the Moderna one this time?

@Niner, all my early shots were Moderna, to which I had normal side effects of feeling yucky for a day or two. Last fall when I got the bivalent shot, they only had Pfizer so I got that. ZERO side effects, hardly even a sore arm! Then this spring I got another booster and they only had Moderna again. Haven't got the latest shot yet but will get it as soon as it's offered. I think either brand is equally effective as far as we know.

 

[IceIce9]

The covid at-home tests that I received in the mail today have expired (both boxes of Binax-Now). They expired in July 2023. They arrived in a package that has a postcard telling you to check the expiration date online for an extension date.

I haven't had a chance to check yet to see if the July 2023 date for both boxes has been extended.

I guess they are mailing out the government surplus of covid-19 tests. Hopefully, most of the tests they mail to people will have an extended expiration date.

Some of the expiration dates have been extended twice.

 

[Gemmie]

The covid at-home tests that I received in the mail today have expired (both boxes of Binax-Now). They expired in July 2023. They arrived in a package that has a postcard telling you to check the expiration date online for an extension date.

I haven't had a chance to check yet to see if the July 2023 date for both boxes has been extended.

I guess they are mailing out the government surplus of covid-19 tests. Hopefully, most of the tests they mail to people will have an extended expiration date.

Yeah, I'm not at all surprised since mine were expired the last go-round. Please do tell us what the expiry date is once you've had a chance to check.

And now is a good time to repost that site for folks.

At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

Expiration dates and more about authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests information.

www.fda.gov

 

[Sundog]

Yeah, I'm not at all surprised since mine were expired the last go-round. Please do tell us what the expiry date is once you've had a chance to check.

And now is a good time to repost that site for folks.

*mutters under my breath* OK, you're not going to believe this. The site appears to only go up to 5/12/23 (box date) so there is NO info on extended dates for BinaxNOW!!! Unbelievable. OK, so it is believable, but it should NOT be this way!!!

Here's the link as promised as some of your tests might have earlier dates, or are from a different manufacturer. And PLEASE, if anyone runs across a legit site that is more current than the FDA site below for this info, please do share, cuz.... we wanna know. TIA!

At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

Expiration dates and more about authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests information.

www.fda.gov

I just checked, and the two boxes (two tests per box so 4 tests total) have extended expiration dates of February 8, 2024. So that's good.

There are different kinds of Binax-NOW test kits listed on the FDA list when you check for extended expiry dates. The kits I received are the Binax-NOW antigen self test. So you have to find the Binax-NOW type of test that matches the ones you received and then look up the Lot number.

 

[Gemmie]

I just checked, and the two boxes (two tests per box so 4 test total) have extended expiration dates of February 8, 2024. So that's good.

There are different kinds of Binax-NOW test kits listed on the FDA list when you check for extended expiry dates. The kits I received are the Binax_NOW antigen self test. So you have to find the Binax -NOW type of test that matches the ones you received and then look up the Lot number.

GOOD TO KNOW!!!! TY!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Went by my doctor's office & now have an appointment for a Pfizer vaccine shot for next Friday 10/13.

All my others have been Moderna - but they do not have that brand.
Anyone else have a Pfizer shot? Was it okay? Is it the same as the Moderna one this time?

All my Covid shots have been Pfizer. I haven't had negative experience other than sore arm, but DH gets mild side effects like a low-grade fever and fatigue that lasts a day or so.

 

[Gemmie]

I've had both. Sore arm but it was hardly sore at all. No fever that I was aware of (didn't temp myself since I didn't feel like I had a fever to check for so maybe I did), but was low energy for the first day every single time.

 

[Sundog]

Some of the expiration dates have been extended twice.

So I should test my older expired test kits from last spring to see if they have been extended twice and are still good, before just throwing them away.

 

[Niner]

@Niner, all my early shots were Moderna, to which I had normal side effects of feeling yucky for a day or two. Last fall when I got the bivalent shot, they only had Pfizer so I got that. ZERO side effects, hardly even a sore arm! Then this spring I got another booster and they only had Moderna again. Haven't got the latest shot yet but will get it as soon as it's offered. I think either brand is equally effective as far as we know.

All my Covid shots have been Pfizer. I haven't had negative experience other than sore arm, but DH gets mild side effects like a low-grade fever and fatigue that lasts a day or so.

Thank you both! I like Auntie Cipation's answer - ZERO side effects! I did not have any side effects with the Moderna vaccines & no sore arm. I felt fine after all the shots that I have gotten - I think this will be my 5th one.
And good to know you did not have any side effects either @BetteDavisEyes !
Thanks again! I feel better now.

 

[Gemmie]

Some of the expiration dates have been extended twice.

I have never seen any mention of twice extended dates. The FDA site says:

"Tests with this printed expiration date (Year-month-day)"

and the only other column says: "Now have this extended expiration date (Year-month-day)"

So in a nutshell you have the "printed" date on the box, and the "extended expiry date" for the "printed" date on the box. Where is it you're seeing a 2nd expiry date? I'm sure we'd all love to see that site. I know I would. TIA

Here's the FDA's site on about extended expiry dates:

At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about at-home COVID-19 tests

www.fda.gov

This is a recent Q&A on that page and it doesn't mention 2nd expiry dates.

Q. Can I use an FDA-authorized at-home COVID-19 diagnostic test that is expired? (7/14/23)​

A: The expiration date for an at-home COVID-19 diagnostic test may be extended beyond the date printed on the outer box or package as additional stability data is collected. You can check the Expiration Date column of the List of Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests to see if the expiration date for your at-home OTC COVID-19 test has been extended and how to find any new expiration date.

The FDA does not recommend using at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests beyond their authorized expiration dates, which, as noted above, may go beyond the date printed on the box. COVID-19 tests and the parts they are made of may degrade, or break down, over time. Because of this, expired test kits could give inaccurate or invalid test results.

 

[IceIce9]

I have never seen any mention of twice extended dates. The FDA site says:

"Tests with this printed expiration date (Year-month-day)"

and the only other column says: "Now have this extended expiration date (Year-month-day)"

So in a nutshell you have the "printed" date on the box, and the "extended expiry date" for the "printed" date on the box. Where is it you're seeing a 2nd expiry date? I'm sure we'd all love to see that site. I know I would. TIA

Here's the FDA's site on about extended expiry dates:

At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about at-home COVID-19 tests

www.fda.gov

This is a recent Q&A on that page and it doesn't mention 2nd expiry dates.

Q. Can I use an FDA-authorized at-home COVID-19 diagnostic test that is expired? (7/14/23)​

A: The expiration date for an at-home COVID-19 diagnostic test may be extended beyond the date printed on the outer box or package as additional stability data is collected. You can check the Expiration Date column of the List of Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests to see if the expiration date for your at-home OTC COVID-19 test has been extended and how to find any new expiration date.

The FDA does not recommend using at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests beyond their authorized expiration dates, which, as noted above, may go beyond the date printed on the box. COVID-19 tests and the parts they are made of may degrade, or break down, over time. Because of this, expired test kits could give inaccurate or invalid test results.

Some of the kits with the expiration dates printed on the boxes were extended to a future expiration date. Then as that date approached or was exceeded another extended expiration date was provided.

 

[Gemmie]

Some of the kits with the expiration dates printed on the boxes were extended to a future expiration date.

This part I know as I've used the site and posted the link to it several times.

Then as that date approached or was exceeded another extended expiration date was provided.

This is the part I'd love to see a source for as I've never seen or heard of a 2nd extended expiry date after the first extended expiry date. Can you please share your source for "the extended date to the extended date"? I can't imagine I'm the only one that would love to see that info. I might have been able to not toss my last tests since both the box date, and the extended date, were both expired.

I'd really appreciate it so I can tuck that URL away in my covid notes. TIA!

 

[ilovewings]

Here at the Retirement home, we are again hosting 80 (!) Kids from the nearby daycare center for a Halloween trick or treat indoors. I have always felt this is a recipe for disaster...a bunch of old, frail, vulnerable folks with children including infants!! And all the colds, COVID, flu, RSV, etc etc that entails. No one wears masks here either. We had quite a few residents get COVID last year and a few passed away. Wonder what this year will bring.
In other news, I am on a waiting list for a different apartment complex. It's still a 55 and over community, but no communal eating, so a real apartment with aT kitchen! Yay!

I know you've talked about how your present residence seems to do things
That expose residents to covid rather than protect residents from covid--- I know
You take precautions--- so please stay well---I hope you get into a different residential
Setting so you could relax a little!!!!

 

[mickey2942]

I was talking to my daughter today, she dropped out of college during Covid, and she is thinking about going back now, so many of her friends dropped out of college and high school during Covid. It impacted kids, 16-21 so much differently than the rest of us.

Although, my son is a trained chef, who lost his job during Covid and started truck driving. He is making so much more money now, he doesn't think he wants to go back to cooking.

 

[IceIce9]

I was on a meeting this afternoon with the mask supplier for our company. One of the topics that was discussed is that there is a forecast of extreme mask shortage in case of another pandemic, or if COVID ramps up to previous numbers.

This company is currently working on developing reusable masks that can be sanitized and reused in order to meet the demand.

 

[Gemmie]

I was talking to my daughter today, she dropped out of college during Covid, and she is thinking about going back now, so many of her friends dropped out of college and high school during Covid. It impacted kids, 16-21 so much differently than the rest of us.

Although, my son is a trained chef, who lost his job during Covid and started truck driving. He is making so much more money now, he doesn't think he wants to go back to cooking.

It's not just 16-21 ages. I posted in the last thread about Kindergarten - 3rd grade (a local school). They weren't dropping out, but they for darn sure were acting out in mind-boggling ways for their super young age.

Here it is if you wanted to take a look:

Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #110

Something I didn't know... COVID-19 tests are extremely reliable when they give a positive result, but a negative result can’t always be trusted. False negatives test results are tests that show a negative result even when the person is infected with the COVID-19 virus, and they are common...

www.websleuths.com

 

[Lilibet]

Some of the kits with the expiration dates printed on the boxes were extended to a future expiration date. Then as that date approached or was exceeded another extended expiration date was provided.

This part I know as I've used the site and posted the link to it several times.

This is the part I'd love to see a source for as I've never seen or heard of a 2nd extended expiry date after the first extended expiry date. Can you please share your source for "the extended date to the extended date"? I can't imagine I'm the only one that would love to see that info. I might have been able to not toss my last tests since both the box date, and the extended date, were both expired.

I'd really appreciate it so I can tuck that URL away in my covid notes. TIA!

I looked for a link, @Gemmie, and didn’t find one that specifically addressed your question. But I do recall marking the new expiration date on my tests, and then checking again when the new date had passed and finding it had been extended again. The companies continued to check their tests and provide new expiration dates to the FDA as time went on.

 

[Gemmie]

I looked for a link, @Gemmie, and didn’t find one that specifically addressed your question. But I do recall marking the new expiration date on my tests, and then checking again when the new date had passed and finding it had been extended again. The companies continued to check their tests and provide new expiration dates to the FDA as time went on.

Thanks! I'll have to do some deeper digging for that.

ETA - Although you'd think they'd simply change the extended date on their website, to be the 2nd extended date, so as not to have any confusion. Perhaps that's what they did.

 

[Lilibet]

Thanks! I'll have to do some deeper digging for that.

ETA - Although you'd think they'd simply change the extended date on their website, to be the 2nd extended date, so as not to have any confusion. Perhaps that's what they did.

I don’t recall that it said it was the second extension. IIRC it just showed the number and the new date.

 

[IceIce9]

This part I know as I've used the site and posted the link to it several times.

This is the part I'd love to see a source for as I've never seen or heard of a 2nd extended expiry date after the first extended expiry date. Can you please share your source for "the extended date to the extended date"? I can't imagine I'm the only one that would love to see that info. I might have been able to not toss my last tests since both the box date, and the extended date, were both expired.

I'd really appreciate it so I can tuck that URL away in my covid notes. TIA!