Lateral flow tests in schools

[Breakthesilence12]

We are key workers and DS is going into secondary school at the moment. He’s had 2 tests this week both negative but now I am really anxious about the reliability of the tests and of DS catching covid/bringing it home.

Aibu to be worried? Anyone know much about them- the media reports make it sound like they are really not reliable at all but at the start, it reassured me school wise.

There was always a reason they were not deemed fit for purpose in care homes to enable visitors.
Funny how they then appeared in schools. Not fit for purpose their either.

They're not completely unreliable- I work for the NHS and they've picked up quite a few asymptotic cases. Used well they're about 70% reliable and about 90% when viral load is high. They're getting a lot of bad press but they're surely better than nothing for asymptotic cases

@AngelSings

I believe you're more likely to get a false positive with these tests. This would then be followed up with a regular test to confirm COVID.

False positives aren’t the worry, it’s false negatives.

The specificity of the tests is high, so if you’ve got a positive result, it’s likely to be correct. The problem is that they have a very low sensitivity so are not very good at picking up positive cases. The trials done at Birmingham university seemed to only pick up 3% of positives. This means you will end up with lots of staff and pupils thinking that they are negative when in reality, they are positive. They will be on the bus, in the canteen, in every lesson with our children, having dinner with CEW family members as normal, believing they are negative.

I don’t care if the government want to use these tests to test everyone on their return to school-apart from the huge hassle of setting up testing centres-it wouldn’t bother me and if my kids were happy to do it, I’d consent.

What I DO have a problem with is that the government want to use the tests to replace the self-isolation of close contacts of positive cases which is the policy everywhere else in the country, and I would imagine the world.

The MHRA have refused their approval for the tests to be used this way which is a huge red flag telling us we need to wonder why. The government are saying that they don’t need their approval and they are going to do it anyway.

Yes, I as a parent can elect for my children to not do this daily testing and I will keep them home for ten days to isolate if they are identified as close contacts. BUT, if loads of parents think it’s a good idea for their kids (who would previously also have been sent home for ten days) to come into school for these inaccurate tests and the result of them will determine whether they come back and sit next to my child for 6 hours, I have absolutely no say in that.

I think it is a very dangerous policy and haven’t read anything from any scientist that says otherwise.

I agree with all of that @Appuskidu and also can’t understand why schools aren’t saying to the DfE - yes we will test kids on their return to school, and staff once a week, but we will send home the contacts of covid positive cases to isolate as previously.

Schools are full of educated professionals - surely they have a. read the surrounding information about LF tests and b. are able to do what’s best for the school community?

I work in a secondary school and my kids go to another, and am even on the testing team , but though I have voiced my opinion, I am too low down the hierarchy for anyone to take any notice.

The DfE guidance refuting the MHRA findings is a real piece of government twisting of the facts 😡.

Here it is:

A number of you may have been concerned to see the Guardian article earlier today about regulator approval for coronavirus (COVID-19) testing in schools. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson has said:

“The MHRA has been clear that we do not need MHRA regulatory approval to carry out daily testing, as long as people are assisted when processing the tests.

Daily testing taking place in secondary schools is assisted testing, and therefore does not require MHRA approval.

Lateral flow devices are a vital tool to finding more asymptomatic cases and the government’s approach to testing in schools will reduce transmission.”

Also, can someone who might be SLT explain to me if schools are really so beholden to the DfE and what happens when they decide not to follow advice or guidance?

The DfE webinars on the LF tests had people asking a lot of questions. One of them was whether schools were obliged to take up the testing, and the answer was no but that it was assumed schools would want to.

The DfE webinars on the LF tests had people asking a lot of questions. One of them was whether schools were obliged to take up the testing, and the answer was no but that it was assumed schools would want to

The testing wasn’t compulsory to begin with but the government quickly changed their mind on that.

We've been using them in work daily for all staff along with PCR tests. We've found that they do seem to be picking up the positive cases but are about 2/3 days behind the PCR tests.
What has happened with us a lot is the PCR gets sent off, wait 2ish days for results. While waiting for those, continue with lateral flows which tend to test positive 2 days later the same day that PCR results come through from the original test confirming covid was present 2 days before.
So they are generally catching it but in the mean time people believe they are negative for a couple of days and potentially spreading it.
When I did a bit of research on false positives, the research seemed to suggest it was very unlikely so if you get a positive lateral flow, it's about 96%accurate that you are actually positive.

@JustMuddlingOn

We've been using them in work daily for all staff along with PCR tests. We've found that they do seem to be picking up the positive cases but are about 2/3 days behind the PCR tests. What has happened with us a lot is the PCR gets sent off, wait 2ish days for results. While waiting for those, continue with lateral flows which tend to test positive 2 days later the same day that PCR results come through from the original test confirming covid was present 2 days before. So they are generally catching it but in the mean time people believe they are negative for a couple of days and potentially spreading it. When I did a bit of research on false positives, the research seemed to suggest it was very unlikely so if you get a positive lateral flow, it's about 96%accurate that you are actually positive.

What happens in your workplace when a positive case is identified? What happens to the close contacts?

@AngelSings

I believe you're more likely to get a false positive with these tests. This would then be followed up with a regular test to confirm COVID.

This is not right - a scientist explained these tests as:

Positive = probably positive
Negative = no idea

The tests are very unreliable.

@Appuskidu

The DfE webinars on the LF tests had people asking a lot of questions. One of them was whether schools were obliged to take up the testing, and the answer was no but that it was assumed schools would want to

The testing wasn’t compulsory to begin with but the government quickly changed their mind on that.

Yes but the webinars were the week before last, after the government edict.

This was interesting - though probably everyone here has seen it. It predates the MHRA lack of approval Guardian article.

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-removes-highly-misleading-covid-testing-guidance/

My DS is in secondary. The school just said that testing is optional and only if confirmed to have been a close contact

@Frozenintime

My DS is in secondary. The school just said that testing is optional and only if confirmed to have been a close contact

Testing is optional for parents/pupils.

It’s not optional for schools to offer it.

Thank you @Appuskidu

On Friday my colleague took a lateral flow test which came back positive. Has since had the results of a pcr test and that said negative.

False positive with the lateral flow???

In my view catching 55-60 percent of cases is better than none.

@caringcarer

In my view catching 55-60 percent of cases is better than none.

Most people-including scientists and the MHRA-are objecting to their use to replace self-isolation for close contacts of positive cases.