Question: COVID- 19 tests I ordered online were delivered when I wasn’t home and sat outside for several hours. It was pretty hot. Can I still use them?
Answer: Probably. If the package containing the at-home test kits had been left outside in high heat for several days, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would recommend that you consider using a different test. But for the type of exposure you described, the FDA says to bring the package inside and let it sit unopened for at least two hours. “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,” the agency says on its website, referring to a control mark that should appear whether the test result is negative or positive.
The advice would be the same if the delivery had sat out in cold weather.
COVID-19 tests authorized for use in the United States generally assume that the test is being performed in an environment between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, but the tests are designed to remain stable in temperatures hotter and colder than that during shipping, the FDA says.
Q: My granddaughter was born premature. Now they say babies should get the COVID-19 vaccine, but how do you count the age?
A: Chronologically, meaning from the calendar date of birth. “Preterm infants (infants born before 37 weeks’ gestation), regardless of birth weight, should receive COVID-19 vaccination at their chronological age and according to the same schedule and guidance as for full-term infants and children,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for people ages 6 months and older.
Q: On national news about Hurricane Ian in Florida, they refer to “Atlantic hurricane season” and say it runs through Nov. 30. Is the date different for the Pacific?
A: No. The Atlantic and Central Pacific hurricane seasons both extend from June 1 to Nov. 30. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season is May 15 to Nov. 30.
Auwe
Akamai people refrain from throwing rubbish on the street because it’s littering. But some of them have no qualms about dumping their opala in the gutters. Hey, lolos, that’s still littering! Auwe! — E.K.
Mahalo
Recently my wife and I have been truly blessed. After getting my COVID-19 booster shot at Kaiser Permanente in Kapolei, my wife had me check in for my doctor’s appointment instead of waiting for her to get her booster. There was payment due for my doctor’s appointment. When the lady asked for $15, I realized my wife had my wallet and apologized. All of a sudden a hand reached across and paid the bill. I told the good Samaritan that my wife would be there soon, but when she arrived he refused reimbursement. Mahalo to him. The next day, my wife and I went to lunch at Saito & Pho at the Waianae Mall to celebrate my sister’s 83rd birthday. My sister is a retired teacher and a current kupuna in our school system. As we entered the restaurant, two young ladies decided to move tables to let us have a more accessible table to accommodate my wheelchair. We ended up enjoying talking story during lunch with Noelani and Lyn, teachers at Maili Elementary School. To our surprise, they ended up paying for our lunch. Mahalo from three grateful kupuna. The aloha spirit is alive and well on the West Side. — Art
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
