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Covid

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PCR test

1 reply

scpips · 06/02/2021 19:00

Please wise Mumsnetters can I ask for your thoughts on the following.
About two weeks ago I had a temperature (nothing too high, up to 38), sore throat, aches and pains, really irritating cough that started a few days later. I felt like I had something that in terms of symptoms sat half way between a nasty cold and flu, worse than a nasty cold but not out for the count like flu. I also lost my sense of smell but just for a day or two, in fact it sort of came and went. When I phoned my doctor, as we have to here (not in the UK) to get advice on what to do, she said she had to send me for testing because many of the things I had described sounded like Corona. I did a PCR test and it came back negative, much to my relief.
But whatever this is has knocked me for six, and I feel really tired, still have this irritating cough (although much less than before) and perhaps the oddest thing of all is this constant smell of what can only be described as a kind of burnt toast/cigarette smoke smell.
A few friends who have had Corona have asked me if I am sure my test was negative because it sounds very similar to what they had. And this is my question, is it possible to have had a negative PCR test and still be positive? When I did the test I was symptomatic and I had a temperature that day.
I feel like I have got Corona "on the brain"....

OP posts:
conkersarebonkers · 06/02/2021 19:40

False negatives definitely exist:

"A systematic review of the accuracy of covid-19 tests reported
false negative rates of between 2% and 29% (equating to
sensitivity of 71-98%), based on negative RT-PCR tests which
were positive on repeat testing."

www.bmj.com/content/bmj/369/bmj.m1808.full.pdf

No way to know for sure now though. But as you are still feeling unwell, it might be worth having a follow-up with your doctor.

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