Residents Urged to Discard Invalid iHealth COVID

Oct 03, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOct. 20, 2022

Visit a DHEC county health department for replacement kits

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has determined that a limited number of the iHealth COVID-19 at-home test kits may have invalid result cartridges because of a manufacturer error. These may return invalid results, including an absent or very faint Control line.

DHEC was first made aware of the issue by school personnel who noticed the control line was faint and very hard to read on some cartridges. DHEC then sampled tests from all lots included in recent distributions, to determine which lots were affected.

Kits from the following lots should be discarded in household trash. Replacement kits may be obtained from DHEC county health departments.

Affected lots are:

Lot numbers and expiration dates on the iHealth test kits can be found on the back of the box. Please note all these expiration dates were approved for extended use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

It is important to remember that this invalid cartridge issue is with the iHealth brand and these affected lots of tests only. DHEC is discarding all of the affected lots in its possession, and no other brand or other lots should be a cause for concern.

When taking a COVID-19 home test, please closely follow the instructions on the box to ensure the most accurate test results. If you receive two negative rapid antigen test results in a span of 24-36 hours and are still having symptoms, contact your health care provider for consideration of a PCR test.

When used correctly, COVID-19 rapid antigen home tests are safe and effective at determining a user's COVID-19 status. A COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to prevent severe cases. Residents are encouraged to get vaccinated and stay updated on boosters especially the bivalent one.

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