Two PCR tests two different results- what now?

[winteroversummer]

My son has had a cold and cough and so I did a PCR test on myself and him. He wasn't allowed back to childcare until his results came through. It had been two days and my childminder recommended that we go for a PCR at the drive through near her house, which I didn't know existed. The staff member did the tests on us. The first sent off test results came back about an hour after that, my son negative but I was positive. I've just had the other test results back, both of us were negative.

What does that mean for isolation? Which is most likely correct?

Also I know resources are limited and I know I shouldn't have gone for two test- I do know that. It is my first week at my new job this week and I really really reallllly wanted to get my sons results back before Monday morning.

You got a positive.
I'd say you need to isolate. The negative could be poor swabbing, lower viral load as you are getting better, false negative..... Obviously the positive could be the wrong result, but I'd be inclined to believe that one.

Yes I think so too, It isn't a hardship for me to stay in, and I wouldn't want to explain the whole debacle to my new employers either.

Strange though, my husband and other child have also tested negative, so that's four negative tests in the house

Why did you do a PCR again? Or did you do a lateral flow first time around?

First one was postal and we missed the evening post, I was concerned we wouldn't get results back before Monday and I wouldn't be able to go to work.

Our childminder directed us to a drive through centre near her house where generally people get results back within less than 24 hours, so we went there