Positive lateral flow, control line came up straight away

[Wagsandclaws]

Ds 12 felt under the weather yesterday. Temp of 38.8, sniffles and a cough. I gave him paracetamol last night and decided to test with a lateral flow this morning.

The line came up straight away as positive even as the test dye was spreading across the test. I was a bit shocked ( I don't know why ) so I took another one, I took a photo of both and of the one after ten seconds as it was developing ( you can clearly see the line ).

What I was wondering is there has been lots in the news about positive lateral flow tests and then followed by a negative pcr test please can anyone tell me if this has happened to them at all?

We are all so far so good, Dh, Dd 29 and smallest ds 8 - I form really want him to get it because he has been hospitalised with his chest and asthma issues before now.

Ds12 also has asthma so I'm keeping an eye but he seems on in the main apart from the temp, sniffles and cough.

He's booked in for a pcr at 11, I was just wondering what the chances are if him being negative after a positive lateral flow are? Has anyone had this? Thank you all

Everyone I know that had a strong, instant positive on the lft has gone on to have a positive pcr. Only exceptions being if they have forgotten to not eat or drink before doing the lft, which can give a false positive.
I think the fact he has symptoms and a positive lft means the chance of him having a positive pcr is quite high.

My ds' was similar and he was positive but the rest of us didn't get it.

My daughter had a mild headache and fever overnight. We tested with LFT the next day it came up as pos before the window of time had even expired, just like your son's. Her PCR, which we then took her too, came back as positive too, which i know is not what you want to hear.

On the plus side apart from mild sniffles and her taste went a little squiffy for a couple of days she was bouncing round her bedroom for the duration of her isolation very happy, (might have had something to do with constant ipad time).

Hope your son stays relatively well is it is covid.

*if it is covid

Ultimately it is irrelevant if the PCR is negative. He has covid if the LFT is positive

Oh and the rest of us didn't get it either.

It sounds like most of those who are getting the positive LFT and negative PCRs do eventually end up getting a positive PCR, but sometimes not for several days. There are various explanations being investigated as to why this is happening a lot recently. So even if he gets negative PCR, it is probably best to assume he is positive, especially if he tests positive on more than one LFT. False positives on LFTs are quite rare, and the chances of it happening twice (especially if they are from different batches of tests) are low.

Originally, it was thought that the PCR was the one to go on, and if it was negative, you were fine. But lately, with all the odd things happening with the tests, that is less clear, and now it sounds like it is best to take a series of positive LFTs as most likely positive, regardless of the PCR.

@Whichjab

Ultimately it is irrelevant if the PCR is negative. He has covid if the LFT is positive

Surely a neg PCR means you DON'T have covid??? I thought they were far more a definitive means of confirming than an LFT?

Mumsie not a false negative on a PCR is a much higher statistical likelihood than a false positive on a LFT. There also appears to be an issue with some PCR results

Crossed post with PeppermintMocha there.

Getting a strong positive is quite a shock after expecting yet another negative.

It’s actually very rare to get a negative PCR after a positive LFT. If it is negative then it is more likely that the PCR is wrong than the positive LFT.
Positive LFTs are very accurate, it’s only something like 0.4% are errors.

It’s mostly happening in the South West - Bristol, Swindon & Bath specifically. They haven’t worked out if there are a faulty batch of PCR tests locally or a new strain which isn’t showing up on the PCRs but the advice is to isolate as false positives on lateral flows are rare.

Also, according to reports there are people with all the Covid symptoms having this positive LFT/negative PCR who clearly do have Covid:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-58841259.amp

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/health/public-health-england-confirms-rise-6035980.amp

Ah ok, we are near Bristol, North Somerset ( radstock area ) so that makes sense.

Glad to hear all of you that didn't catch it from your DC's i hope that's the case for us as Dh starts a new job next week and I have conditions which required me to shield and still do. Fingers crossed!

Have you tested everyone in the household? When we had it the LFT came up straight away. 4/5 of us had it, confirmed with PCR’s. Youngest DS with asthma never got it.

I've just tested Ds8 and this is positive isn't it?

When DD had it, the LFT she took before her PCR was negative but she took one the day she got her positive result and it came up right away as you describe. I think your DS has it.

Neither DS or I caught it from her though. She pretty much stayed in her room and I delivered food to her.

Yes positive

@Wagsandclaws

I've just tested Ds8 and this is positive isn't it?

I'd say that is possibly positive, yes. Is that after the 30 minutes? He might be at the start of an infection.

Yes, I'd say that second child is positive too.

They look like the test strips for the nasal only testing? We found (I did school testing, so have seen hundreds of both types) the nasal ones usually came up quite quickly.

My 13 yr old had this. Positive LFT came up straight away, PCR confirmed it.

Good luck, I'm sure your child will be ok

@Wagsandclaws

I've just tested Ds8 and this is positive isn't it?

Yes

My daughter's lateral flow was very faint like one of your pics, PCR was positive.

She's been absolutely fine, she's 11

None of the rest of the house have had it either. I also work in a school, and 7 of the kids are out with covid. Still not caught it.

Ahh ok thanks for the positivity guys info appreciate it.

I have no doubt whatsoever that they will be absolutely fine , my Dh is quite overweight and late 40's and my type 2 diabetes is ok but not as tip top as it should be. Luckily I've lost 6.4 stone so bmi is now 27 thank goodness! Will stick up on the vit c I think.

I knew this was coming so it's ok, I've got an oxyometer Ect and the boys Montelukast and inhalers so it should be fine.

Those are both positive. Because of the problems with the testing in the SW the advice unofficially seems to be to treat the negative PCR as positive especially if you have symptoms.