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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Lateral flow test yay or nay?

52 replies

StressB · 28/04/2021 20:50

YABU - No, I don't do regular lateral flow test at home

YANBU - Yes, my family and I test at least once a week

OP posts:
tobedtoMNandfart · 28/04/2021 20:52

2 school age DC test at home twice a week. HTH

Catswithflamingos · 28/04/2021 20:55

Every 3 days here, due to circumstances.

Furrydogmum · 28/04/2021 20:56

I do 2 per week for school - bleurgh!!

PurpleDaisies · 28/04/2021 20:57

What’s it to you?

Anna727b · 28/04/2021 20:58

They don't work well so I've never done one.

50% of positive cases are missed by lateral flow tests, which means that testing negative means nothing! You could test negative and have Covid or test negative and not have Covid!

Camomila · 28/04/2021 21:00

2 per week here as well, one DC at school, one at nursery and gran doing wrap around childcare.

underneaththeash · 28/04/2021 21:01

I don't test myself as I've had both doses of vaccine or DD as she's only 9, but I do test the boys once a week on a Sunday before school - year 10 and 8. We are still currently at 0 cases in my area and the areas they go to school, but I'll up that if they go up.

When DS was self isolating, I tested everyone daily.

DinosaurDiana · 28/04/2021 21:01

Yep, me and DD twice a week.

RiderGirl · 28/04/2021 21:02

I'm meant to but I don't (I'm in the NHS). After hearing one of our top surgeons who knows his stuff saying about what an absolute waste of time they are, I haven't bothered. They are massively inaccurate and could have contributed to covid spread by giving false negatives to people who had covid, who then went about their daily business.

underneaththeash · 28/04/2021 21:03

@Anna727b but at least you'll get some of them. The lateral flow tests at DS's school identified one boy (typically his bus buddy) who was positive and that lead to a whole other chain of positive cases. 15 boys had to isolate, but it was better than it being passed on.

WaitingForNormality · 28/04/2021 21:04

YANBU

1Morewineplease · 28/04/2021 21:06

Twice a week.. needed by employer.

BrainFoggerty · 28/04/2021 21:07

It's really important to remember that they are ONLY if you have NO symptoms. If you have any symptoms you must have a PCR test.

DD in primary, I do once per week, very very low case area & I barely go anywhere

Scarby9 · 28/04/2021 21:11

2 per week for work, Wed and Sun evenings.
I can't do the throat one, but do both nostrils (then sneeze a lot!).

Llamadramasheepface · 28/04/2021 21:11

DS and I test every Wednesday and Sunday. He is secondary school age and I work in a school. I was in isolation recently and tested daily.

Original poster
StressB · 28/04/2021 21:13

Do you test even if you have both vaccines?

OP posts:
LookingForAChange21 · 28/04/2021 21:15

@Anna727b

They don't work well so I've never done one.

50% of positive cases are missed by lateral flow tests, which means that testing negative means nothing! You could test negative and have Covid or test negative and not have Covid!

But then surely that means that 50% of cases are caught, when they otherwise would have easily been missed as there's no symptoms?

I don't think there a fail safe plan or anything, but they seem to be better than nothing at all in an attempt to keep the numbers down 🤷🏼‍♀️

teenagetantrums · 28/04/2021 21:17

I have to do them twice a week at work. They not reliable and no one does them properly as we can't afford to self isolate. We have all had 2 vaccines as well.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 28/04/2021 21:17

Is it them free ones you can now get from pharmacy?

We did 1 so far, wasn't keen, may do another next week though.
2.5*
Made me sneeze af

We have 1 dose so far. It doesn't stop transmission at all 100% though so obviously we are still aware and careful.

gamerchick · 28/04/2021 21:17

@Anna727b

They don't work well so I've never done one.

50% of positive cases are missed by lateral flow tests, which means that testing negative means nothing! You could test negative and have Covid or test negative and not have Covid!

I don't get this attitude me. Like for real.

'50% of positive cases are missed' which means 50% are caught before symptoms kick in right? Although I'm sure it's more than 50% that's caught.

I never get the if something isn't a 100% then what's the point at all thing. It's weird.

DurhamDurham · 28/04/2021 21:17

May as well toss a coin

They're useless, work don't even make us use them anymore and they were obligatory for a while.

tinytemper66 · 28/04/2021 21:18

X2 weekly as in work in a school. Not the most pleasant.

ShinyMe · 28/04/2021 21:20

@RiderGirl

I'm meant to but I don't (I'm in the NHS). After hearing one of our top surgeons who knows his stuff saying about what an absolute waste of time they are, I haven't bothered. They are massively inaccurate and could have contributed to covid spread by giving false negatives to people who had covid, who then went about their daily business.
But if they hadn't tested, they'd still be going about their daily business and spreading it.
greenlynx · 28/04/2021 21:20

Why do you ask OP?

luckylavender · 28/04/2021 21:22

@RiderGirl - that's not at all what the scientific analysis suggests.