How many people are getting a lateral flow test twice a week?

[Lucaslucas1612]

Just that really. Was talking to a school mum this morning and was wondering how many people are doing this?

Yes we are twice a week. Found out DS has COVID on Monday and would never have known without the lateral flow tests as he had no symptoms so would have carried on sending him to school. It was confirmed by a PCR the next morning. Luckily me and DP are negative so we may have caught it soon enough to stop it spreading in the house and at school.

To all those who doubt that lateral flow tests bring up false negatives though, my sons gf took a lateral flow on the Tuesday morning (negative) and then went for a PCR at 8am the same morning as she had obviously been in very close contact with my son. The PCR was positive, so they are definitely more accurate than the lateral flow tests.

I have them, but I only really remember to do them if I'm going to be seeing more people than usual.

Twice a week here for me (work) and DD (secondary school). Why would you not?

Its a quick, simple test that may catch asymptomatic cases. Yes it has a failure rate but catching some is better than none.

I guess its just yet another non-issue for the 'government hate us and want us locked down' or 'I'm not invading my person with that swab its against my human rights' brigades to get uppity about. Yawn.

Nope. Not one member of our household (4) has ever had a test throughout this nightmare.

I'm doing them when I occasionally go into work or somewhere with lots of contacts (gym etc)

@BackforGood

DH and I are as parents of primary age. It takes five minutes.

How can it only take 5mins ? The little video I was sent involved leaving it for 30mins at one point, not counting all the setting up, testing, recording results etc.

We've not been testing though - only dh and I here, and both wfh.

Setting up takes less than a minute once you’ve done it a couple of times and know what to do. Say 2-3 min max for a family of 4. The actual swab is seconds. You don’t need to watch the test yourself for 30 mins - you leave it on the table, set a timer, and check back when it’s over. It’s 15 mins where I live, 30 in UK, etc. No one sits by the test and monitors it for 30 minutes.

You do the test, then get in the shower, do hair and make up, get breakfast. Then after 30 mins go to look at the result.

Its not onerous, but I don't remember to do it unless I have a particular reason, like I'll be visiting my parents or attending a busy meeting.

We're all doing them twice a week here, even our son who's too young to need it. Can't see why you wouldn't, it really gives peace of mind

Hair, makeup, shower? why would I do any of that, I barely go out. I'm pretty lax about bothering with breakfast too.

The idea of Testing gives me anything but peace of mind. It's a tangible reminder that little is normal.

DH does it twice a week for work (mandatory) and I was doing it weekly but now do it when I can remember 😂

I have 3 tests a week but not through choice, because of my job.

No. My DC gags violently when we have tried to do them. They also have a low accuracy rate. So not bothering now.

And the test does not take 2-3 mins for a family of 4. There are lots of steps with blowing your nose and washing your hands twice at different points. It takes longer than I thought it would.

I’m not. Both DH and I wfh and barely mix, and when we do we do it at social distance and/or in a mask, so we are at incredibly low risk of exposure/transmission. Therefore there is very little point. I would if we were working outside the home, had children at home who mixed, we mixed a lot or were otherwise high risk to ourselves or others but the fact is, we aren’t. I’ll likely start them up when the world starts opening up again in the next few weeks and I’m out and about a bit more but for now, save the tests for the folks who actually need them, as they would be a performative waste of time on us at the moment.

Do we have to? Is it the law or recommend?

I'd be wasting tests I think as I'm always home?!