Lateral Flow Test was negative but I have symptoms- what to do?

[ArwenTheGreat]

I woke in the night feeling rubbish- felt hot/raging sore throat/cough- did a Lateral Flow Test this morning and it is negative, temperature was normal (I didn't check it in the night though so it may have been normal then, albeit I felt like it was raging). Children (x2) have had sore throats for a week but no other symptoms, eldest at secondary did a routine LFT last night and was negative.

They have trotted off to school quite happily but my sister has said that I should be booking a PCR test and that we should all be isolating til I get the all clear- as the LFT was negative do I need to do this?

Happy to if its required but I couldn't work out from the online guidance what to do in this situation.

Any advice/links to clear guidance v welcome!

LFT should not be used if you have symptoms. You do need to book a PCR test and yes your kids should be self isolating until your results are back.

Yes if you have symptoms you should not have done a LFT and kids should have stayed at home. You need to book PCR as soon as possible.

Yes, you need to book a pcr test and isolate unfortunately.

Yes I believe if you have symptoms you need to do a PCR.

If you have symptoms then you need to do a PCR and all isolate until your results are back.

If you have symptoms you need a pcr test.

You have symptoms. Everyone should be isolating and PCR tests booked
Lateral flow tests shouldn’t be used if you have symptoms!

If you have a new and persistent cough get a test.

Yes as others have said, PCR is needed.

Information is from this link www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

Your children should be isolating and you need to do a PCR test ASAP as you have one or more of the three main symptoms.

How do people still not know this?

And get your kids out of school

www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

I would book a test and get the kids home ASAP, to isolate. No parent or child would thank you if the bubble burst and having to isolate over the easter break. I would also test the kids. Many people will be visiting others now some restrictions have eased

This is the reason its still spreading. We have been doing this a year now come on . I wouldn't of sent the kids to school.

Yes, your sister is right.

Collect the kids immediately and book a pcr test asap. And hope that it comes back negative.

You mentioned among your symptoms- a cough. Have you been living under a rock for 12 months?

Book a PCR test and isolate the family while you await results.

Why on earth did you send your kids to school? You should all be isolating!

Yes PCR test and your whole household should be self isolating.

Genuine question, what use are the LFT? Surely it picks up covid symptoms or no symptoms or am I missing something? My aunt spoke to the dr after feeling unwell after her jab, he told her it may be covid so she had a rapid test, it came back negative and he said they are very unreliable it is probably covid and to isolate. That sounds crazy to me! Take a LFT if it’s positive you have it, if it’s negative you have it 🤦🏼‍♀️

OP I can see the confusion here and how you thought it was ok not to isolate, hope your feeling ok

Thanks for your guidance all. I was not aware that LFT were not for those with symptoms. Have booked PCR and about to collect kids from school. (Single parent so nobody else to collect them.)

The benefit of LFT’s is that if used on symptomless people they will pick up a small percentage of asymptomatic cases. Because they have a high false negative rate if you have symptoms you need to test with a more sensitive PCR test.

LFT’s are part of breaking chains of asymptomatic infection in people who would otherwise not consider they may be carrying covid. They’re not infallible but a tool in rooting out asymptomatic spread.

All of the measures are to break chains of transmission and none of them are 100% which is why we need multiple strategies.

Symptoms require a more definitive test than LFT’s are designed to provide. Even PCR’s aren’t 100% depending whereabouts in your body the virus is multiplying and there are cases of very ill people clearly sick with hallmark covid complications and imaging that don’t test positive with PCR for some time.

Definitely get PCR tests as LFTs are for catching asymptomatic cases and are not sensitive enough for those with symptoms

We are in this same situation. I had a negative flow test last night. Weve just come back from covid testing now. It's a pain but necessary