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Original poster

Lateral flow test - false positive?

38 replies

DuckyMcDuck · 07/02/2021 21:21

I had a very weak positive line on a lateral flow test today but I don't have a fever, cough or loss of taste/smell. I do, however, have a runny nose and am sneezing ie cold symptoms.

I've been for a pcr test and am awaiting the results and I'm self-isolating in the meantime but wondered (hoping) if false positives are common and could be affected by having a cold?

OP posts:
dappledsunshine · 07/02/2021 21:22

I've heard anecdotally that false negatives are much more likely on the lateral flows then false positives.

dementedpixie · 07/02/2021 21:24

Much more likely to be false negative than false positive

tessiegirl · 07/02/2021 21:28

My colleague had a false positive on a lateral flow test three weeks ago. So possible!

Rodders92 · 07/02/2021 21:31

If you have previously had covid and been asymptomatic you can have a positive lateral flow test for a long time afterwards

Remmy123 · 07/02/2021 21:34

My friend had positive, did a proper test and was positive

Original poster
DuckyMcDuck · 07/02/2021 21:37

That is interesting @Rodders92 but I test twice a week (keyworker) and was negative on Wed so unlikely to be that.

Looks like it can happen but I guess I just have to wait and see and keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the replies

OP posts:
HarrietSchulenberg · 07/02/2021 21:37

Very possible. I've known quite a few people have false positives. Not heard of any false negatives but probably equally likely. Lateral flow tests are not terribly reliable.

Changeisneeded · 07/02/2021 21:41

In the liverpool are they are now saying that we should test if you have a runny nose due to one of the new variants

Rodders92 · 07/02/2021 21:41

I’m testing twice a week too , this exact thing happened to a member of my team who had a positive lateral flow followed by a negative pcr and was then advised not to do lateral flow tests for 90 days

mineofuselessinformation · 07/02/2021 21:44

Definitely possible.
Get a PCR test to be sure.

MrsSchadenfreude · 07/02/2021 21:44

A friend of mine tested positive for three months after contracting Covid. She was relocating for work and needed a negative test result to fly. The doctors said it was dead virus cells, and she was no longer contagious but it took a while to get rid of the virus from her body.

m0therofdragons · 07/02/2021 21:45

In my hospital we’ve had a few false negatives but every positive has been confirmed by pcr.

m0therofdragons · 07/02/2021 21:46

@MrsSchadenfreude yep, it can last for up to 90 days.

dementedpixie · 07/02/2021 21:46

OP hasn't had covid so the not testing for 90 days isn't an issue

cardibach · 07/02/2021 21:47

@Changeisneeded

In the liverpool are they are now saying that we should test if you have a runny nose due to one of the new variants
So women I know just tested positive with cold symptoms. Test through work.
cardibach · 07/02/2021 21:47

Someone*
So women? Honestly iPad...

AB1GAIL · 07/02/2021 21:48

Yes I’m afraid its possible that you are positive.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 07/02/2021 21:50

Those saying confirm with pcr - I asked elsewhere and I thought they were more likely of the 2 to give a false positive? ( I had a positive pcr but noone else in my family did so want to be "sure" before I go into shops again ...am thinking of getting an antibody test (yes we did isolate etc etc))

sweetheartyparty · 07/02/2021 21:51

What brand is it? My dsis had a positive lateral flow test without any symptoms. Had a PCR test done same day and that too was positive. She developed symptoms over the next couple of days.
False negatives are much more common especially for the Innova brand.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 07/02/2021 21:53

And yes friend tested via zoe app with a cold and was positive.

I have wondered if "the big 3" are only still the big 3 as in order to get a test you have to say you have one of those - so then producing statistics that confirming that they are the big 3....
Certainly other coutnries have broader definitions of "symptoms" ( a friend's school in Australia won't allow any child with sore throat or sniffles/sneezing/cold symptoms - and told me "well of course we wouldn't let anyone with covid symptoms in!" Whereas in Winter Term our primary was letting everyone with colds, and even coughs if they followed cold, in...

dementedpixie · 07/02/2021 21:54

PCR is the test used to confirm positive cases. They are less likely to give a false negative. Dont know the % of false positive

AnnaMagnani · 07/02/2021 21:54

My workplace has just started doing lat flow tests - friends who have been doing them longer have said they have found them really helpful as generally the positives were positive.

So given you have symptoms, you may well be positive. Do you have have home tests to do another one? I've been given a sackful of lat flow tests to do at home so could always retest.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 07/02/2021 21:55

demented - yes you definitely need to have one to confirm, I was just wondering slightly tangentily. (I wasn't doing lateral flow).

Watsername · 07/02/2021 22:12

I am afraid it could well be a true positive with a runny nose. I hope you don’t get any more symptoms x

yuyubooboo · 07/02/2021 22:49

I had a runny nose and cold symptoms initially as my first symptoms. Get a test.

Incidentally my 3 lateral flows were negative...but PCR positive the next day

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