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Original poster

DS refusing to take PCR - negative LFT’s

73 replies

Squealy · 29/08/2021 10:18

DS 21 went to our local city on a night out last Saturday.

Monday, common cold symptoms started, he took an LFT which was negative. He continued to get worse, really runny nose, hoarse voice, sore throat at times, disturbed sleep due to coughing etc.

Work require him to have a weekly LFT, it was carried out at his workplace Wednesday morning when he was very symptomatic, again it was negative.

All week long I’ve asked him to get a PCR as LFTs aren’t that reliable and he’s refusing, says that LFTs aren’t that unreliable and spouting a load of maths stuff about the chances of 2 LFTs being wrong.

I’ve tried to explain that maybe they were done too early in the course of the illness to pick up anything - he’s still coughing now, very disturbed sleep, streaming nose etc.

He’s such a stubborn bugger, he says there’s no point in testing now anyway as he’d be almost out of his isolation at this point anyway.

How accurate are LFTs and could he actually be positive? DH and I are both double jabbed and DD only had her 2nd jab a few days ago. I guess the rest of us would be showing symptoms by now though?

Maybe it’s worth the rest of us doing LFTs in case we are asymptomatic?

OP posts:
Dreamzzs · 29/08/2021 10:21

Well he's right really. If he's almost out of the isolation time from when it started what's the point?
Hell just be putting himself in isolation when the transmission time has already passed.

Changemusthappen · 29/08/2021 10:39

Your son is over 18 so can do what he likes. However if it was my son I would expect him to get a PCR in that situation and I would be clear that he had options whilst he is in my house. He gets a test or finds somewhere else to isolate. I would also not expect to manage him like this, did his Dad go on about getting a test? He basically has put you all at risk, albeit a low risk, what a selfish idiot.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/08/2021 10:55

His choice as an adult. I can tell you from my experience that LFTs are shit. I did multiple ones when I had Covid 2 weeks ago and they were all negative, PCR was positive.

GreenLakes · 29/08/2021 11:16

The thing is a ‘runny nose’, ‘sore throat’ and ‘hoarse voice’ are not symptoms that justify a PCR test.

Watapalava · 29/08/2021 11:17

he doesn't have covid symptoms

HelenRose1111 · 29/08/2021 11:30

These are symptoms of the Delta variant so he needs as PCR test tbh

www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/delta-variant-symptoms

bonniewitch · 29/08/2021 11:34

If he has symptoms then LFT's don't work. LFT's are for picking up asymptomatic or presymptomatic cases.

Once you have symptoms, the viral load is too high for LFT's to work properly, and will likely give a false negative.

Watapalava · 29/08/2021 11:45

they are not gov listed symtoms and thats what counts

conkersarebonkers · 29/08/2021 11:49

@Watapalava

he doesn't have covid symptoms
He has a cough.
Watapalava · 29/08/2021 11:51

Cough and continuous cough are different

The flow chart diagram issued by nhs says cough with cold symptoms doesn’t need test

Preg19 · 29/08/2021 12:21

@bonniewitch

If he has symptoms then LFT's don't work. LFT's are for picking up asymptomatic or presymptomatic cases.

Once you have symptoms, the viral load is too high for LFT's to work properly, and will likely give a false negative.

Interesting! Ive never known that where have u read that from?
conkersarebonkers · 29/08/2021 12:22

News to me! Where can I see this flowchart?

BluebellsGreenbells · 29/08/2021 12:24

I knew LFT aren’t for symptomatic people, it picks up infection early when you are less likely to spread the disease.

OrangeBananaFish · 29/08/2021 12:29

when I got covid LFT came up positive and I had symptoms (not the main 3, but headaches, muscle aches, fatigue etc) so the bit about about them not working when its too late is bullshit. Of course they can be false negatives, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are definitely false negatives

BluebellsGreenbells · 29/08/2021 12:31

NHS clearly states they are for people without symptoms

Of coarse there’s going to be a cross over

Fullywhelmed · 29/08/2021 12:37

My 17 year old has picked up a fluey cold, sneezing, cough, high temp this week. It's not covid (he did do a PCR, and lateral flows were frank negative).

There are other viruses around, but it would be responsible to do PCR testing.

SpnBaby1967 · 29/08/2021 12:40

@Fullywhelmed

My 17 year old has picked up a fluey cold, sneezing, cough, high temp this week. It's not covid (he did do a PCR, and lateral flows were frank negative).

There are other viruses around, but it would be responsible to do PCR testing.

Agree with this. Last week I had a cold, all the symptoms your son describes and PCR negative so just a cold.

Other viruses are available still you know

Lollipop40 · 29/08/2021 12:49

Urghhh my friend has done exactly the same as your son op....

Is coughing and hacking, out and about all over the place, saying she has a virus but it’s ok as she’s been lateral flow testing every day and they’re negative.

She up in the night coughing and can’t sleep. She caught it from her ds who has come back from

I did suggest she got a pcr to double check but don’t think she has. It’s so frustrating!

Jamandlemoncurd · 29/08/2021 12:56

Interesting about LFTs. My friend's family recently had it. They did LFTs every day for ten days. On day 3 got positives that remained positive until day 8 then went back to negative. Did get confirmed PCRs so it was Covid.

bonbonours · 29/08/2021 13:02

@bonniewitch

If he has symptoms then LFT's don't work. LFT's are for picking up asymptomatic or presymptomatic cases.

Once you have symptoms, the viral load is too high for LFT's to work properly, and will likely give a false negative.

I'm pretty sure that's not true. I have Covid right now with sneezing/runny nose and the LFT came up very strong positive. I know other people who have done LFT before PCR with symptoms just because they had them to hand, and they have shown positive. It's not that LFT don't work with symptoms, it's that if you have symptoms they say to get a PCR as they are more accurate.
TheChip · 29/08/2021 13:03

He is an adult. Work dont seem to have have issue with him being there, and there are other illnesses about. You can do your own tests if it will make you feel better, but even if he did a pcr test now it isn't going to change anything, other than lengthen his isolation. He's already been carrying on as normal as it is.

Sleepyblueocean · 29/08/2021 13:07

"Once you have symptoms, the viral load is too high for LFT's to work properly, and will likely give a false negative."

That's not correct. LFT are more likely to pick up symptomatic cases than asymptomatic cases but not as many as a a PCR test will pick up.

NeverTalksToStrangers · 29/08/2021 13:07

I think the MAIN reason LFTs are not recommended for people with symptoms is because you can do one without the results being recorded anywhere.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 29/08/2021 13:08

The thing is a ‘runny nose’, ‘sore throat’ and ‘hoarse voice’ are not symptoms that justify a PCR test they are exactly what my ds has- no cough just clearing his throat as normal, nothing noticable or temperature. His PCR was positive but the day before even with symptoms his LFs were negative.