Whole family positive LFT but negative PCR

[Peanut0583]

Hi! So son was told to take an LFT Monday as multiple kids on his football team tested positive for covid. He had a faint positive on LFT Monday & felt a bit coldy, his PCR came back negative the following day (Tuesday). Tuesday husband did an LFT and very clear bold positive, son did another and also very strong positive this time. Husbands PCR came back negative today! Yesterday me and my daughter both had positive LFT’s. We’ve all gone for repeat PCRs today so will see what the results are tomorrow.

In total we’ve done 8 positive LFTs all from different batches so I’m kind of thinking there is minimal chance they are all wrong. Also we are starting to develop symptoms now.

Has this happened to anyone else? It’s so frustrating and makes me lose faith in the whole testing process if PCR supposed to be more sensitive then LFT?

There seem to be a LOT of people coming up with positive LFTs at the moment who then turn out to be negative on PCR. I wonder if there is another similar cold virus going around that is causing this. Waiting on a PCR myself....

Couchpotato3 It makes no sense! Or batches of faulty PCR tests?!

Is it lft that you only swab your nose? Hearing lots of false positives on these

Aurorie11 No it’s the nose and throat ones x

PHE are investigating because it's happening a lot, there's a thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4356425-Positive-LFTs-but-negative-PCR-twice

Some people have then gone on to test positive on PCR so don't assume it's a true negative and visit grandma.

Same situation here too, two daughters both tested positive, 3 lfts each, negative on pcr at drive through test centre. Tested myself at same times, negative for me. I can’t believe the negative pcr due to the amount of lfts we’ve done, different batches and the fact that there is a number of cases of COVID confirmed in their school classes. They have mild symptoms also. Ive chosen to repeat the tests with a postal kit before allowing them to return to school. Sent them off this afternoon so awaiting results still

@LLEJ doesn’t make sense does it! We’ve all done PCRs yesterday, if one comes back positive will assume we all have it due to all doing positive LFTs and accept the PCR tests aren’t very good after all!

Same happened to me. I've been looking on Twitter and it seems to be happening a lot. I'm treating mine as covid positive and isolating.

What area re you in OP? This seems to be happening more in the SW (although in other places too).

dh monitors lots of Covid stuff for his job..

Currently this is very common. Positive LFT, then negative PCR.

Generally a repeat PCR in a few days then gives a positive result.

It seems ot be part of Delta variant.

So, personally I would do more than one LFT (as they can be wrong) and if positive, I would assume I had Covid, even if first PCR is negative

The chances of a false positive on a LFT are v small. I think PCRs have a higher chance of a false negative. So I would say there's a much higher chance the PCR missed it than the LFT gave you a false positive. Especially given you know you have had contact with a positive case.

We have Covid expect one of my DC, negative PCR and LFT. So for us the positive LFT resulted in a same day or next day positive PCR

We have all done more positive LFTs today (instantly positive before water reached the end of the strip!) mine and daughters PCR from yesterday came back negative. Still waiting for the other 2 😓. Am assuming covid and isolating as I don’t believe that many LFTs can be wrong!

Someone sent me this article - inews-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/inews.co.uk/news/covid-lateral-flow-tests-negative-pcr-1236141/amp?utm_source=upday&utm_medium=referral

@JanglyBeads we are north Hampshire (so not quite south west)

Just had a positive pcr for dd2. Still waiting on results for myself and dd1. Both dds have been showing repeated positive lft since Monday although Mondays pcrs came back negative. First pcr tests done at drive through test centre, second lot through the post. Will update when we get the others back

Loads of this going on at our school (also SW)

This happened to us and we're in South Wales. 3 out of 4 of us tested positive on the 2nd PCR but the 1st PCR gave us the all clear even with positive LFTs. Good job we went for a 2nd PCR. No wonder it's spreading like wildfire.

We're in South Wales also

This has happened to a few at DS1 workplace( NE Somerset)

Update, dd1 result also came back positive, mine negative. In conclusion, the lfts gave the correct results, gold standard pcr tests gave both my girls false negative on first attempt. Is there a problem with the tests at the test centres maybe? Postal tests more accurate in our case

I wonder if people are getting PCRs too early because that's what the government are advising - if you are a close contact of someone with confirmed COVID and you're double vaccinated or under 18, if you get a PCR and it's negative you are fine to go back to work or school. There's absolutely no advice about when exactly to get the PCR and most workplaces just want to know that you've had a negative one.

Before August, households would just all isolate together if one person had a positive and then only get a test if they started to develop symptoms.

Maybe the vaccines have influenced how it shows itself too.

But they said initially that pcr was more sensitive and accurate than the LFT so it is a worry that the pcr is not picking these ones up for days after the LFTs and symptoms were positive.

Lots of negative lfts here but positive PCRs 🤷🏼‍♀️

Update, we posted some home PCRs today (will be second lot after first all came back negative).

However myself and my son have totally lost our sense of smell and taste is blunted (can only taste sweet/bitter/salty) so I would say it’s pretty clear we do have covid and the LFTs were correct and first Negative PCRs were negative which is worrying to say the least!

Sorry should have read “first negative PCRs were false negative”

Sorry to her you're unwell OP.
We know lots of people in the same boat (repeated positive lft, neg pcr).