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?

@Theunamedcat

Babies don't get tested

What makes you say that?

I booked a test for my 5mo and my partner & I were add-ons as we live with him (obviously). He was showing symptoms & we needed to know for childcare reasons.

When we arrived, we were given full instructions on how to test him which was slightly different so I imagine babies had been tested before.

In the instruction diagram you've attached, it shows about 3/4 of the swab going up the nose. I can't imagine how anyone could do that on themselves. Less than 1/2 the swab went up mine.

You don't want to trust test results because you feel like you might not have done it properly? Come on. How do you expect staff to be available to administer them to everyone? What about home tests? If you're that bothered, try again and see if you think you manage better next time. Or isolate. This is what it is.

@amicissimma

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.

.... especially as all three of you got the same result.

@indemMUND

This is what it is.

Exactly. This is what it is.. but what it is is leaving room for error. People are going to work etc, with mild symptoms perhaps, as they have a negative.
A negative because they haven't tested correctly.

@yankeedoodledandee

How can we go off of these results?

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

Yes if you'd done it wrong it would be returned 'inconclusive'.
I didn't think I'd done it correctly and it certainly didn't go far up my nose but still came back positive.

You can't get a negative result from doing the test wrong. If you don't manage to get a good enough swab sample the result comes back as inconclusive.