Definitely don't trust test results

[BettyAndVeronica]

Myself, DH and baby went to a test centre yesterday, where we did DIY tests.

Now we have 3 negative results back.

We read the instructions. But it's certainly not fool proof. Or suitable for young children.
On doing mine I have to say it didn't feel like I was doing it properly. Did the swob touch the right place, I can't be sure it did, or that it went as far up my nose as it should have.
And as for baby's, I really doubt it.

How can we go off of these results? If this is what everyone is doing to test.. I feel very very nervous. Surely the accuracy rate of these DIY tests must be pretty low?

Babies don't get tested

i disagree

i do mine wih work weekly

my kids do them in school - ive observed them being done its easy

all the scaremongering of them going up the brain is nonesense

you brush across tonsils (10 secs) then 10 secs up nose -2cm only

its easy

They gave me a test to do on my baby.

According to the government dashboard, around 90% of tests each day are negative, so it's more likely you'll get a negative than a positive.

I'd be reasonably confident that it was correct if I didn't have symptoms, less so if I did, though there are still colds about.

How do you think the test should be conducted OP?

Why would you subject your baby to a swab up their nose?

@BettyAndVeronica

They gave me a test to do on my baby.

I could be wrong but I thought you only get a kit for those you have registered to have the test?

From memory the instructions are - brush the tonsils but do NOT touch the tounge or cheek.

I think it's easy to brush the tonsils but not so easy to avoid touching the other bits. I am not sure why you touching the cheek and tounge is problematic but it seems to be.

@LivingMyBestLife2020

Why would you subject your baby to a swab up their nose?

It really isn’t that bad. Our one year old had to be tested twice and didn’t seem particularly bothered. She disliked taking her antibiotics far more! As for the throat swab, we didn’t do that on her. However, from when I was very small and throughout my childhood I had to have regular throat swabs for recurring tonsillitis. I don’t remember them being a big deal at all.

How do you think the test should be conducted OP?

By someone that knows what they are doing doing it.

Or something very simple like a pregnancy test.

I do think you have a point @BettyAndVeronica. I had a test come back inconclusive and then when I redid it it was positive. But I guess I wouldn’t have been concerned if I didn’t have symptoms. That said, a friend is a doctor and she recently told me that despite the official line being that the swab tests are circa 92% accurate, in practice she and colleagues accept they’re really only about 70% accurate due to the window of opportunity being quite small and the high rate of people doing the tests wrongly.

I could be wrong but I thought you only get a kit for those you have registered to have the test?

Nope, we just tuned up. They allow 'walk ins' apparently.

I just don’t agree - I’ve done quite a few and it’s easy. People are very weird about the nose thing, just insert until you feel resistance - its not far.

@LivingMyBestLife2020
Why would you subject your baby to a swab up their nose?

Because baby has symptoms and as a key worker I need to know if I can leave baby with childcare, or isolate for the duration.
My role is front line, I can't be spared if it can be helped.

I think it's easy to brush the tonsils but not so easy to avoid touching the other bits. I am not sure why you touching the cheek and tounge is problematic but it seems to be.

Yes exactly, that's what I thought. Especially someone who doesn't have a particularly steady hand. Or when swobbing a child who wriggles.

How can we go off of these results?

Because if there isn't 'enough' on the swab to test, the test would return inconclusive?

I assume incorrectly administered tests would come back inconclusive.

By us the walk in centres are lateral flow tests only, so asymptomatic. This week we've tested our 11 month old for the second time - nostrils only. It's not ideal but she can't go to nursery without a negative result having reported any of the big 3 symptoms. Far better to get a test than isolate for 10 days

I thought that's why, if you have symptoms, but the test comes back as negative you still have to isolate for 10days? I'm sure this is where some schools where getting it wrong because they wanted children in if they got a negative test?

@pursuedbyablackdog

I thought that's why, if you have symptoms, but the test comes back as negative you still have to isolate for 10days? I'm sure this is where some schools where getting it wrong because they wanted children in if they got a negative test?

We are months and months into this now.

If you are isolating because you have symptoms, you can stop isolation upon a negative test. If you are isolating as a contact of someone who has a positive test, you need to continue the isolation period regardless.

This is going to sound stupid I know but it’s been bugging me- if you haven’t got any tonsils then where do you swab?

I went with ds (17) when he did a test and were told to swab his tonsils, there was a small mirror to help, he was going to be sick as he struggled with it so much but nurse said it was ok. His result was negative.

I’m the one with no tonsils and after seeing how ds reacted I’m dreading needing a test!

I did my own and tested positive. Clear instructions which were easy to follow.

OP is correct on this—the stats show that the reliability of the tests is heavily dependent on who administers it. For example, two of my family members are currently ill and self isolating with a flatmate. All 3 did self tests, all 3 have very strong symptoms. Got 2 negatives and an inconclusive. Retested (done properly) all 3 are positive.

I have had 2 PCR tests done on me by doctors. Both felt quite unpleasant and involved the swab going quite far back down my throat and far further up my nose then comfortable. In fact, in both cases I was still feeling the nose after. I can tell you 100% that if I had done them myself, that is not what I would have done.

Getting a negative does NOT mean you absolutely don’t have it, there are plenty of false negatives based on poor use of the swab.

Maybe exact guidance might vary by country: I was looking at this one where I am (Ireland) and it says swab should go up to point in your nose where it is half way between your nostril and your ear?

www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/residentialcarefacilities/Guidance%20for%20Registered%20Nurses%20performing%20sampling%20for%20Covid-19%20in%20RCF.pdf

And this video of how to take a sample: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmvcm2010260

But yet when I look at the NHS printout it says just inside the nose? But my 2 tests were done in the U.K. and both were done to half way up the (long) swab stick, not 2cm. Is the guidance different now, or what is going on with that?

@StealthRoast haha I asked exactly this when I was tested as I have no tonsils. Just swab where they should be 🤣

he NHS printout it says just inside the nose? But my 2 tests were done in the U.K. and both were done to half way up the (long) swab stick, not 2cm. Is the guidance different now, or what is going on with that

It instructed us to put the swab up the nose until you feel resistance.
I'm not sure I put it far enough up (have heard from people who've had it done by professionals this is quite unpleasant and uncomfortable). And with baby I'm even less sure.
No discomfort afterwards, at all.