Impossible to swab without touching your tongue?

[JulyBreeze]

I've just gone for my second Covid test, no option to have someone administer it again. Both times I've found it impossible to keep the swab tip from touching the top of my tongue, which I know can invalidate the test. (However the first time I went, I got a Negative, rather then Inconclusive, result.) Do most people have this problem, I've heard others voice similar concerns?

If a HCP administers it, do they hold your tongue down with a spatula or something?

I've read someone's post on here saying that in other countries they don't do self administered tests. And medics on here saying it's impossible to self test properly because of these kind of issues.

This article says that there could well be problems:
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/coronavirus-uk-latest-questions-raised-self-testing-covid-19-centres-homes-427570/amp

However this article says faults with self administered tests might not be more than 10% though, which is good enough on the mass level but obviously not on the individual level:
www.newscientist.com/article/mg24632823-200-how-accurate-are-the-results-from-self-testing-for-covid-19-at-home/

If children are being tested much more from September, this will become even more of an issue, I'd have thought.

Results back, Negative, hooray!

So I'd definitely advise opting for a walk in centre where you get more advice and support with administering the test.

My 82yo has had to have one today prior to going in for respite care. The community nurse phoned and asked if I could do it.

No bloody chance!

I wouldn't have minded if it was just the throat but having seen my poor mum have to have her nose packed twice in a week last year due to excessive nosebleeds there was no way I was attempting it.

They sent the practice nurse out in the end thank God!

82yo dad

Negative result here too !

Just to add, I ended up going forbyet another test today - 4th in 8 days - as I felt slightly sick this morning then developed a metallic taste in my mouth. Am slightly wondering if my eventual Negative result at the beginning of the week was a false negative (as 1 in 6 are). In which case this one would be negative anyway as it's day 9 after first symptoms, too late to test....

Will post the result when I have it though!

I did mine at home and used a teaspoon as a tongue depressor. Was getting in the way too much! I'm pretty sure I did touch the back of my tongue still, but it came back negative (no symptoms so that was expected, long story whyi got tested)

Argggh these tests sound horrific. If I get symptoms I think I'm just going to Netflix and chill for 2 weeks!!

I have had 5 so far, all negative (work related)

@AlwaysLatte

Don’t worry they are over in 10sec for throat and 10sec for nose!

My 5 year old and I did a drive through one. I definitely touched his tongue and didn’t do the correct length of time up the nose on either of us but the results were negative. It’s tricky testing a child in the car as you cannot get out so you end up climbing over the seats.

We all did a drive through yesterday ... 35 degrees heat impossible fo do my children they screamed and just had our results all negative which I find shocking considering I couldn't even get near their nose properly

30% are false negatives

Trindle, how can you expect the lab to know you didn't test properly? All they know is, there was no sings of covid 19 on the swabs. It is up to the individual to follow the instructions. If you cannot, then obviously there isn't much point in handing the swab in and you certainly cannot rely on the results.

Sometimes it comes back inconclusive because the swab has been contaminated.

I did a test for the nhs/Ipsos survey - I didn't have any problem not touching my tongue (just opened mouth really wide and kept tongue down) but did accidentally touch my uvula so hoping that's not as bad? Results could take a week or more so have a while to wait.
The nostril bit was horrible.

Are they not able to tell if there is a big enough sample on the swab?

I have my fourth result back and it’s negative, yay! Double yay! because it means I managed to not touch my tongue for a second time!!

Interesting article on whether/when a negative test result is reliable:
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/613246/

@PrivateD00r but there’d have been sufficient sample from the throat, maybe?

@TofinoSurf I don’t know how it all works.