Positive LFT but NHS said they're unreliable if you have symptoms

[Tobogganist]

I tested positive this afternoon with a throat and nose LFR test at home. I did it twice and got two positives.

I contacted Tests & Protect to book a test and left a message. I called again this evening because nobody called back and the person said that everyone had gone home but they'll probably ring to arrange a test tomorrow.

She said that LFR tests are not as reliable when you have symptoms.

So does that mean that the LFR might be a false positive? I'm not sure what she meant. Does anyone know?

We are self isolating anyway. My symptoms are:
Dry continuous cough
Headache
Feverish

Just book a PCR test. Why did you call test and trace?

www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

They are wrong
LFT are actually more accurate when you have symptoms and have a higher false negative rate if you don't have symptoms
Can you not book a PCR online?

OP said 'test and protect' which indicates they're in Scotland.

You can book a PCR here: www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19/test-and-protect/coronavirus-covid-19-get-a-test-if-you-have-symptoms

From what has come out recently in the positive LFT/negative PCR scandal, if you have covid symptoms and a positive LFT then it is highly likely you have covid.

You aren’t supposed to rely on LFT if you have symptoms as they are less sensitive then PCR so less likely to test positive - they are unreliable as may give you a false negative, not a false positive.

It's still the same process to get a PCR if you're in Scotland (I live there too)

Yes I'm in Scotland. She said they'll probably ring me in the morning with a time to go in for a PCR test.

It just confused me a bit that she was saying the LFR test was not reliable if you have symptoms. I'd understand that if it was a negative LFR and I was phoning for a PCR. Maybe it's just something they say to everyone.

Just book online or call 119?

Thank you. They're going to ring me tomorrow when they're back in the office. It's a small NHS board so not a huge call centre etc.

Test is definitely positive.

Are you not able to book a PCR where you are? When my colleague tested positive on the lateral flow, she had to book a PCR and when that came back positive test and protect contacted her. They then text her close contacts as she had been at work.

I’m in Scotland and we just went online and booked. Can’t you do that?

When you book online you don't get a list of times or anything just a form to fill in for them to ring you back with a time

It's a slight garble.

The LFT has a high false negative rate (especially when test is carried out by non-HCPs/untrained general public)

If you are testing a group of people with no symptoms, 10 of whom have the virus (incubating or asymptomatic) and the LFT finds only 5 of them, you've still taken 5 probably infectious people out of circulation who would otherwise not have been spotted. That's a win.

But if you're testing people with symptoms, and 10 of those people are genuinely positive, but the test finds (as before) only 5 of them then that's five people it's let continue to mix and probably infect others - and that's a detriment (compared to PCR which would find all/nearly all)

It's not that the test is per se unreliable (and AFAIK its false positive rate is low), rather that using it in the symptomatic presents a population-level risk because of the higher false negative rate.

Thank you for that explanation. That does make perfect sense.

@Tobogganist

When you book online you don't get a list of times or anything just a form to fill in for them to ring you back with a time

What health board is it? Are you quite remote?

Yes its remote - one of the island NHS boards

@UnmentionedElephantDildo Wish the government explained it so well!,