Positive lateral flow - does it take the full 30 minutes to show?

[PuzzledObserver]

If you’ve had one, did the line appear only towards the end, or was there an indication earlier?

I did one yesterday because I had a bit of a sore throat and was going to be mixing with people. After about 15 minutes I looked at it and it was clear, and DH said, if there’s no line now, there won’t be. (I did check again after 30 minutes - no line)

I need to do two later this week because of people I’m meeting. Just wondered if I need to wait the full 30 minutes, or whether a positive line would indeed start to show sooner?

I have had Covid, and double jabbed and comply with mask wearing and distancing when out, so I tend to think the risk of me getting infected is extremely low. The test is belt and braces, really.

My positives have all came up straight away, and I have heard the same from other people but I think the safest thing would be to assume it could take the full 30 minutes 🙂

If you're doing it anyway why wouldn't you just wait the full 30 mins?

If there's no line at all after 30 minutes, it indicates a void test.
You need to do it again and wait 30 minutes for the result.

My brother got one last night. Apparently it took about 20 mins to properly show on his!

Sorry, I meant no line by the T, there was a line by the C (and that appeared very quickly).

I'm just curious, is all.

You need to wait the 30 mins but after that the test is void.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

You need to wait the 30 mins but after that the test is void.

Does that mean that a line which appears at 31 minutes can be ignored? Although to be fair, if I had read it at 30 minutes and it was negative, I would then put it in the bin.

Do lines ever go away, e.g. appear at 20 minutes and then disappear at 29 minutes? I'd have thought not.

Technically yes but if it appeared at all I'd do a PCR.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor that makes sense, thanks

In summary, then - wait until the 30 minutes, but if you see the line sooner, it is positive. And if one appears a few minutes after 30 minutes - treat it as positive.

Any positive should be followed up with PCR. And self-isolate until you get that result. Got it.

It could be a nightmare... we are counting down to a house move in a couple of weeks' time and trying to fit in a lot of things/people before then. A positive test would really screw things up.

The above is what I would do not actually guidelines.

It is a bloody nightmare!

The answer is don't test unless you have to for work.

I had training to administer them and we were told that a positive would appear within a few minutes - waiting for 30 is just to err on the side of caution, as they can sometimes be very faint to start with.

Two people I know who had positive LFTs - one showed the line within 7 minutrs? The other was bang on 30 mins. Both confirmed with PCR.
Another (just got off the phone with her) two negative LFTs and a positive PCR. She has hayfever ( streaming eyes, sneezing, scratchy throat but no coughing) so hadn't thought as LFTs were negative but asked to PCR test by Test and Trace as a close contact, and turns out also to be positive. Found out she had lost her taste and smell when she got home from the testing centre.

I have done one this morning which came back as positive. Within 10 mins there was a faint line. By 30 it was very clear. Went for a PCR test. Doubt it will be negative but fingers crossed.