More negative results due to people not doing test properly

[Justpassingtime1]

This applies to folk doing their own tests.
Given how unpleasant the swab down the back of the throat etc
is could it be that some tests are not being done properly leading to
fake neg results?

Someone on here explained it me that if they don’t swab properly it will more likely come back as inconclusive rather than a false negative. I was worried about the same thing given how hard it is to get a child to do the test properly.

We had private tests yesterday. We were told that if we didn’t swab enough, it’d come back inconclusive, not negative. I guess the same would be true for the NHS?

Do you have evidence about this?

I thought that incorrectly done tests would produce an inconclusive result, rather than a false negative

^what they said

I wondered this too having struggled to perform a test on a child and getting a negative result.

I would love to know the science behind it if anyone knows. What do they find on the cotton bud that shows it has rubbed the tonsils and up the nose fully? Why is it a problem if it touches your tongue or teeth on the way in?

If you stick the test up your nose - how far up is it supposed to go?

I'd be worried about causing damage - especially if testing someone other than myself ie a child.

@Dustballs

If you stick the test up your nose - how far up is it supposed to go?

I'd be worried about causing damage - especially if testing someone other than myself ie a child.

On a child till you meet resistance, same for an adult but they can probably tolerate a little farther. It should make you feel like you want to sneeze.

I’ve had a few tests because I’m part of a research project but I did notice that the swab I had for a recent test for dd looked much bigger than the one I’m used to. It was good enough to get a definite result anyway.

The throat one shouldn’t really make you gag if you’re careful. You’re meant to be avoiding touching any other area but the tonsils and those themselves don’t really induce a gag reflex.

The swab test just tests the secretions in the back of the throat
and the nose. We were told to swab 5 times round the tonsils,
up both nostrils.
I asked because I wondered about doing these tests on children
who may be more resistant/awkward!

they come back inconclusive if the swap was not taken correctly.
I know several people who've had inconclusive results (including HCPs) and had to have them taken again.

I showed my 12 year old DC the diagram and we researched pictures of tonsils (or where they ought to be) till he had a good idea of where he should be fishing around. I held up a mirror and directed a light source to help. He nearly made himself sick with swabbing either side of his uvula and then he had a coughing and spluttering fit after poking it as far as it would go up his nose. I thought that was probably enough.

I had an inconclusive test result from a test I did on myself. I had to do it at one of those centres where you drive in and do it to yourself in the car. I was gagging so much I’m not surprised.

I was doing it as part of a study and really I’d only do it again if someone was doing it to me as I found it very difficult as I do have an active gag reflex and doing it to myself I think meant I was jerking my hand with the swab around.

I've had both a DIY test and one done by a nurse. The latter was much more robust, particularly the nose swab, which hurt and was still hurting several hours later.

Whether it makes any difference to the robustness of the results I have no idea.

I really wish they'd hurry up with that saliva test!

DH and I have both had a number of tests (work related) and been told that false negatives/positives aren’t due to improperly administered tests. They come back inconclusive.

There are videos on you tube to show people how to do the test.