Interesting LFT result

[StrongLegs]

Hi,

I wondered if I could ask for others' thoughts on some interesting LFT results?

I was a biomedical research scientist for nearly 20 years before I was a Mum and I think I understand how LFT works, but I could be wrong.

Our whole family have covid at the moment. We also all had it last March (2020).

Here we are in detail:

DS 11
March 2020 covid entirely resolved
Unvaccinated
cough and fever since Saturday this week
strong +ve LFT with result showing in under 2 minutes
+PCR test

DH
March 2020 covid symptoms entirely resolved
double vaccinated
very bad cold symptoms since Tuesday
-ve LFT
awaiting PCR test

myself:
Ongoing long covid since March 2020
single vaccinated
new flu-type symptoms since Tuesday
-ve LFT
awaiting PCR test.

I'm just puzzled about why DS's lateral flow test lit up like a firework, while both of ours are showing a definite negative result.

Do you think that means that our vaccinations are causing us to shed fewer virus particles? I would be really glad to hear what others think.

DH and I are both confused about why LFT picks up asymptomatic infections but not symptomatic ones. Bearing in mind that they picked up DS's symptomatic infection, but not ours.

Thanks!

That implies to me that with his two vaccinations, not only could he not produce a postive LFT, he also couldn't produce a positive PCR, even while heavily symptomatic for a full week. That is pretty interesting

So presuming your assumption that he does have covid is correct do you think that means he’s not contagious?

It's not that LFTs don't pick up symptomatic cases, it's that if you have symptoms you should be getting a PCR. That means LFTs are reserved for asymptomatic testing. And I've seen it pick up two asymptomatic cases in the last couple of weeks among people I know, which nice to see it doing its thing.

It's possible that your DS has covid as well as a cold/other virus which he could have passed onto your DH. Double vacc protected him against covid, but obviously not other viruses.

I am double vaccinated (end of June). I had a negative LFT on Monday, started getting symptoms Wednesday evening, booked PCR for Thursday morning but took a LFT out of curiosity - a very definite positive. PCR came back positive on Friday.
My symptoms have remained pretty mild.

I guess your DH could have something else and he is isolating anyway so it makes little difference to anyone else.

Hope you all feel better soon.