Two negative lateral flows, what are the chances?

[SisterAgatha]

I was exposed to a positive case on Saturday, spent all day with the guy. Feel awful now but mostly just cold symptoms, nothing in chest, am double vaxxed and just sneezing and runny nose mainly.

On Monday I took a lateral flow, negative. Today I took a lateral flow, negative.

Today we have all been asked by work to take a PCR. (I am p/t so not in till today anyway)

I feel like I must have it. But 2 lateral flows have been negative. What are the chances of me still being positive? Asking here really as everyone knows so much on this thread and I am well out of the loop now. I can understand how one is wrong but not two.

This will all be resolved when the pcr result comes in of course. Just curious really.

If you did pick it up Saturday you wouldn't have passed it to anyone on Saturday

If you did pick it up Saturday you wouldn't have passed it to anyone on Saturday

I really hope so but I think you are right. I’m just worried. Really impatient for these results! It’s only been 8 hours!

I am down to wfh tmw, if I am positive will I actually have to work?! I don’t know any of the latest rules.

Friend took LFT everyday for 5 days = neg. pcr on day 2 =Neg. then did another pcr on day 5 = pos. wouldn't trust LFT

DH was in close contact with someone who tested positive. They shared a car, had spent quite a bit of time together over a couple of days and then he developed a blocked nose and I was convinced he had it. LFTs were all negative and so were 2 PCR's.

If you are positive its still 10 days isolation.

If you picked it up on Saturday, you would have have passed it on one Saturday.

My Ds caught Covid on Sunday. Had symptoms (sore throat) from Tuesday, but tested negative on LFT each days until Friday. It was then confirmed by PCR on Saturday.

Sorry you wouldn't have passed it on on Saturday

Just to reiterate that you may not have passed it on. When covid hit our house DH and DS1 were positive but me and DS2 were negative so you won’t necessarily transmit it to other people. And they were both pretty asymptomatic.

My FIL and friend both had Covid. All their lateral flow tests said negative. The PCR said positive.

I had 3 positive - albeit faint - lfts and a positive PCR so ime, they are useful.

Its negative. I’ve obviously got some other lurgy then.

Makes me wonder now if the guy is lying to get 10 days off!

Hope you feel better soon!

Have done my pcr this morning so will see how that goes

@UnmentionedElephantDildo

As one of the principle reasons for false negative LFTs is technique, the it's very likely that one false negative will be followed by a whole string of them

Well, that's going to affect the PCR as well then because I went for one today and the test part is exactly the same and you do it yourself in your car without any input from anyone else. Only difference is that it goes in a tube and off to a lab and takes two days, rather than the half hour wait.

@SisterAgatha

If you did pick it up Saturday you wouldn't have passed it to anyone on Saturday

I really hope so but I think you are right. I’m just worried. Really impatient for these results! It’s only been 8 hours!

I am down to wfh tmw, if I am positive will I actually have to work?! I don’t know any of the latest rules.

Yes, of course you work if you can remain isolated and are well enough to do so.