Do positive test results take longer to come back?

[MyBossIsATwat]

Maybe I’m just spoiled, but as a family we’ve done 5 separate PCRs in the last month and the results were all back within 12 hours. We did one for DD yesterday over 24 hours ago and still nothing.

I have managed to convince myself that it’s because it’s positive, like maybe they have to double check the positives and do it again to confirm and that’s why they take longer. A bit like me doing 12 positive pregnancy tests before I believed it when I was pregnant with her 🙈

Anyway, unless anyone here actually knows how the testing process works I know it’s all speculation and anecdotal, but can anyone tell me their experiences of positive tests taking longer? Or not? Please, I’m driving myself crazy thinking about it.

I realise it could just be that there’s more tests being done at the moment but I just can’t help wondering and thinking it’s positive.

My positive result came 24 hours after my kids negative results back in march. They were all posted at the same time. Have no idea if that is common though.

Thank you! Hope you weren’t too poorly with it, with kids to look after too 😬

Anyone else?

Not in my experience. I ended up at a test centre with my friend, we both got our results back within minutes of each other, one positive and one negative!

I think that when the test centres are busier, they take longer to come back. Are you in an area with increasing rates?

@ceeveebee

Cases are pretty flat in my area actually but maybe there’s more tests being done or maybe the people at work at the centre or off sick or something. I just can’t help but worry more the longer it takes. It’s not rational probably but there it is.

Thanks for replying 😀

I did a (postal) pcr a couple of weeks ago. Posted Sunday morning (post collected 12noon) , back Wednesday evening/Thursday morning. Negative.

Negative & positive results from same testing session came back together here.