To be sick of people relying on lateral flows when sick.

[kakeya97]

It's been widely said that lft tests aren't accurate and many people are ill with symptoms and been negative on a Lft but positive on a pcr.

A parent at the school picking up today says they sick with a cough and fever but had done a lateral flow... distances from said person

I believe they give people a false sense of reassurance even though it's widely stated they are for asymptomatic testing either.

Dd was poorly a short while and we took her for a pcr which was negative. After telling mil she said why didn't wr go over there for a lft she had in the cupboard. I explained that she had symptoms (cough) and needed a pcr but I don't think she took it in. Said the tests were very good because they have 'nhs' written on them. I gave up trying to explain.

Another friend has bad cold symptoms. Likely just a cold but has relied on lft tests.

I just don't what people don't understand about it - if you have any of the symptoms of covid - get a pcr test. The results are coming back so fast. I know lft tests seem convenient as they are rapid - but rapid means unreliable.

Why does it take so long to get a PCR test result in U.K.? I’m in Central/Eastern Europe, and you get your result in 6 hours here for a normal test, and one hour for an expedited one.

Teacher here....took PCR test after a positive LFT ...the line wasn't strong but it was there
PCR Tuesday at 11 am
Result ..negative ..Thursday 5 pm
Three days off work 😡

@MrsSchadenfreude

Why does it take so long to get a PCR test result in U.K.? I’m in Central/Eastern Europe, and you get your result in 6 hours here for a normal test, and one hour for an expedited one.

You can get the test quickly - within a few hours usually - it's the results that sometimes take time to come back. Having said that, our most recent results returned within 12 hours.

The more PCRs people take the more likely schools etc will stay open with staff being in and protected etc

I love how people “know” they don’t have covid when doctors can’t tell!

@Jasmine11

But they are 95% accurate and that's an acceptable accuracy for most people, as pp have said it's cold season now and people are not able to put their lives on hold for 2 days waiting for a PCR test when employers are much less flexible about matters surrounding covid..

With tests there is no oveeall accuracy figire. There is sensitivity and specificity and they are weighed up against each other. Lateral glows rarely give a false positive but miss quite a few cases sobthey are ideal for mass testing of asymptomatic people. PCRs are less likely to mias a true case but also more likely to give a false positive and are therefore suitable for testing for people with a reaaon to thibk they may have it.

We did a pcr on d's (8) last week after a negative lft. Took 4 days to come back. All the other kids at school coughing away just had lfts. I won't be doing a pcr again in a hurry

This has been the case all along that not everyone can afford to take a day off work for their/their child's pcr test and then x days for the result. OP yours came back quickly - but its not an exact science - other people are waiting a lot longer. I'm not saying its right, or that people should spread germs. Its all very well saying people are selfish but when push comes to shove people will make selfish choices if it means they will lose money they can't afford to.

I’m using LFT. I’ve already had Covid and been double vaccinated so I’m all likely hood it’s a cold and not covid.

It’s getting the point now where people just aren’t willing to put their lives on hold any longer.
I’m a TA and we are only sending home if they have a temp alongside other symptoms.

@MrsSchadenfreude

Why does it take so long to get a PCR test result in U.K.? I’m in Central/Eastern Europe, and you get your result in 6 hours here for a normal test, and one hour for an expedited one.

We don't have a car or live near a test site so I get them delivered by post which can take two days. Depending on what time post is delivered in your area, you might miss the test pick-up time at the covid post box meaning you have wait until the next day to take the test and post. After posting it can be a further two days until you get results. So that's 5 days. We've done it several times now. Tests always negative.

I have been ill all week with cough, temperature cold etc, all LFT, s negative, and my PCR result is negative, there are loads of nasty virus, s around

@Sarah2384

Another friend has bad cold symptoms. Likely just a cold but has relied on lft tests

You'd have to lie to get a PCR test with cold symptoms. I'm not saying you shouldn't lie in this circumstance but many people would feel uncomfortable doing so.

Cold symptoms usually include a cough though.

My DD is completely asymptomatic but tested her on Monday as it’s rife in her year and it came back positive, confirmed today after a PCR. I see the benefit of them for this exact circumstance as I wouldn’t have had a clue otherwise and she’d have been going to school, swimming lessons, seeing grandparents etc.

I don’t think it’s been communicated clearly enough that they’re for catching these types of cases though. I said to DH the other day all it needs is a simple message on the box they come
In saying ‘if you have symptoms do not use these tests. Book a PCR’ etc.

I said to DH the other day all it needs is a simple message on the box they come
In saying ‘if you have symptoms do not use these tests. Book a PCR’ etc.

But why can’t they be used?

Surely if a person has Covid symptoms then an LFT will detect it?

If they’re sensitive enough to detect Covid in asymptomatic people, then surely they can detect it in someone who has symptoms?

My sister used an LFT on her daughter as her daughter had a cough, sore throat, generally feeling unwell etc and she said almost immediately the LFT showed up a really strong positive.

She only took her daughter for a PCR as that’s what the school require, otherwise she wouldn’t have bothered and would have just isolated her daughter for ten days based on the LFT result.

Didn’t someone say earlier in the thread that the LFTs can detect Covid in 95% of people with symptoms?

I imagine that’s why people are happy to rely on LFTs solely.

I think it’s because PCR tests are more sensitive and therefore can detect covid outside of the infectious period. LFT tests aren’t as sensitive so they are mainly to pick up when people may be infectious before onset of symptoms. I read it somewhere I’ll try and find the link

You’re not wrong OP but the fact is there are people who will do anything they can to get around doing the test.

In our household my DC was ill, had a temperature and sore throat. Did a PCR and negative.

A week later DH got temperature and sore throat. We knew he had the same bug that DC had but we still got him the PCR and isolated while waiting for the result.

Also negative. People just can’t be arsed it would appear.

www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-lateral-flow-antigen-testing-for-people-without-symptoms

To be honest I’m no expert on it and won’t pretend to be. But the experts do say that this what what you should do so I assume it’s for good reason - they need to make it clearer if that is the case

Yes - this has already been discussed up thread. Here's the research www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-07-14-lateral-flow-tests-are-95-effective-detecting-covid-19-when-used-onset-symptoms

My daughter brought covid home from school and tested positive. The rest of us went for PCRs which were negative. In theory we could have carried on going out / work (double jabbed) and my son could have gone into school. But we all stayed home and kept my son off because he had a cold and I was worried it might not have shown on the PCR for some reason. I kept doing lateral flows on us all and three days after my negative PCR the lateral flow showed positive for me. I think it would have been about 5 days until I lost my smell so could have got a test then. I totally agree that if people have symptoms they should go for a PCR rather than lateral flow, but for us lateral flows have been really accurate (my daughter and I are still testing positive on them). But then I’m also prepared to lie to get a PCR. My daughter had none of the three symptoms (just a headache and runny nose) but I took her anyway because she seemed so out of sorts.

Thank you singingGoldfinch

It won’t be long then before PCR testing will be scrapped I imagine and just doing an LFT will suffice.

So we're being told to test for sniffles, upset stomachs, the lot. Hence my point: we'd never be in school/work as we have to go for a test on day 1, wait, and then decide the next day whether it's worth going into school/work or not.

Yes, same here

My DD was sent home from college on Monday morning and told she needed a negative PCR before she could come back. Her “symptoms” - tired and a bit achey.

DD had taken part in a cross country horse riding competition the day before. Had got up at 5am and had a very long day, plus the riding - hence the achey, tiredness.

She’d done an LFT prior to the horse thing on Sunday - negative, another Monday first thing Monday morning (the regular one they do for college), also negative.

She got a negative test back earlier but has missed 3 days of college.

I can understand why people are using LFTs tbh

@DontWantTheRivalry

Thank you singingGoldfinch

It won’t be long then before PCR testing will be scrapped I imagine and just doing an LFT will suffice.

I see the opposite and expect in the future there will be no asyptomatic testing and only PCR testing for people with symptoms severe enough to need medical treatment as with other viruses.

[quote SingingGoldfinch]Yes - this has already been discussed up thread. Here's the research www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-07-14-lateral-flow-tests-are-95-effective-detecting-covid-19-when-used-onset-symptoms[/quote]
Lateral flows have their place, but people need to understand their limitations, they are not accurate enough to use when people have symptoms.

But they are! See above.

I've got a heavy cold (the symptoms are so familiar it really couldn't be anything else). I took a LFT on Monday evening simply because I knew I'd be asked if I had. HR asked me to do another in the office today. Both negative but work are happy relying on LFTs. And so am I.

I can see the tests staying for those who wish to pay for them - and that includes companies

PCR testing for people with symptoms severe enough to need medical treatment as with other viruses.

So only testing people who end up in A&E or hospital?