Positive LFT

[janlevinson]

Someone I'm meant to be meeting today has done two LFT's which came back positive, but then the PCR was negative. Would you still meet them?

Possibly not in all honesty. But I'm not sure how I'd get out of it! Are they very close, would they understand your hesitancy? Or is it someone you'd need a good excuse for?

No I don't think I would risk it if i was in this situation! If I was the person who has tested positive I'd also feel quite uncomfortable at meeting anyone else and would only leave the house if it was essential.

Is it possible to get positive LFT and it be too early to test positive on a pcr? I'm not sure how these things work and if it had been only one LFT I'd think false, but two false positives seems unlikely. Think I'd bail!

I wouldn't risk it

But the PCR trumps the LFT. But it's weird because two LFTs have been positive. Friend should do another PCR. My dad tested positive on a LFT and then negative on PCR and just went about his business. Must have been a faulty LFT in my dad's case. Maybe your friend had a bad batch of LFTs ? They could try taking an LFT from another batch and another PCR. Would I see this friend ? I don't know.

That’s very odd.
I would trust the pcr test though as it is more accurate than the lft.
I test twice a week and we would always have to get a pcr test after a positive lft just to make sure.

I possibly would still see them, how long ago did they do the tests ?

As I understand it the false positive rate on a lateral flow test are fairly low, depending on the rates in the population. So the chances of two being positive when there isn't coronavirus there are low. The rates of false negative (so not detecting coronavirus when the person actually does have it)are much higher which is why people with symptoms should get a PCR test. It also partly depends on whether you are in an area where rates are increasing. If you were in Bolton for example I definitely would not risk it. On that basis unless it was something really important (struggling to think of anything that important) I would wait a week to see them. The only exception I guess might be if they have recently had coronavirus but still likely to be shredding virus.

No way!

When were the tests?

Are any of the people who are going to be there unusually vulnerable?

What type of meeting?

If it's for a walk outside then I'd still go, I've read on other threads that there's no evidence of transmission outside and that pcr tests trump lft tests

Hmm i probably wouldn't. My DS had negative pcr followed by positive lateral flow the next day. Then 2 days later positive pcr

After seeing a documentary about the PCR testing I'm not even sure I trust them to be accurate anymore.

My understanding is that LFT can pick up other viruses eg just normal SARS CoV rather than SARS CoV 2 whereas PCR tests don't. So that might explain it but I'd still be nervous!

You’d be expected to go to school with these results. Are you going to be in close proximity to your friend for five hours in a poorly ventilated room with no mask? If so, I’m sure you’ll be fine.

@FusionChefGeoff

My understanding is that LFT can pick up other viruses eg just normal SARS CoV rather than SARS CoV 2 whereas PCR tests don't. So that might explain it but I'd still be nervous!

The PCR does detect these other viruses if you click into the results but they will only tell YOU if it's positive/negative for covid. Ie. If I clicked into a patients results I could see what has been detected but all the patient needs to know is do they have covid and need to isolate.

Agree with you that the LFT could be picking up the others.

I'd get another PCR or phone the lab.

Would I meet them? If I'm outside and not at risk/wfh/no dependants then yes. If I worked in a school/hospital/have kids or elderly parents then no.

It's really not worth the risk. If the LFT has picked something up why would you risk catching Covid if it can be avoided. Better to err on the side of caution than regret it if you get Covid.

@ThatIsMyPotato

It's really not worth the risk. If the LFT has picked something up why would you risk catching Covid if it can be avoided. Better to err on the side of caution than regret it if you get Covid.

Is that what gives a false positive? I'm not sure that's how it works, it's not testing for random other viruses and picking up “something” is it?

I'm not sure but if it's telling you it's positive I wouldn't take the risk.