Can you test negative on pcr but still have the virus?

[BlondieD]

Can you test negative on a pcr but still have the virus?

Yes. A while back it was around 30% false negatives. I also wonder about the possibility of the tests being less accurate with newer mutations.

Yes, I think the timing is quite important and you can test too soon for it to be detected. Which means that advice for close contacts to get PCR tested straight away gives people false reassurance that they don’t have it.

I got a negative pcr. I have some symptoms but I am not very ill. I was at a small function last week and there's people coming down with what I have and all have various degrees of sickness. One has full blown flu type illness and it makes me wonder if it's covid I have that wasn't picked up on the test.

Have a y of them tested positive yet? Is anyone, including you, trying LFTs?

@BlondieD

I got a negative pcr. I have some symptoms but I am not very ill. I was at a small function last week and there's people coming down with what I have and all have various degrees of sickness. One has full blown flu type illness and it makes me wonder if it's covid I have that wasn't picked up on the test.

Book another one.

I had a negative PCR on Sunday when partner had a positive. He got it from his dad, who I'm also a close contact of. Decided to book another test, so have got a postal one coming that I'll do on Thursday. That'll be 8 days after my initial close contact, and 4 days after second close contact (according to T&T) with my partner.

Am doing daily LFTs in order to be able to go to work, but I don't have much faith in them really.

Yes, DS did despite having identical symptoms at the same time as DD who tested positive. He has since done an antibody test to confirm he had Covid.

Yes.

My oh and ds have identical symptoms, all had positive lateral flow tests. DS came back negative.

Absolutely, or even the other way around... I had a +ve pcr followed by a -ve all within 24 hrs. We tested for travelling purposes with no sign of illness whatsoever. GP wouldn't allow me to travel as +ve overrides -ve result. This was after the first lockdown.

Yes, the govt, PHE and the media keep pushing the fact that PCR testing is the 'gold standard' as though it's infallible. Which is rather misleading. It's the best we've got, but it's still not as reliable (in terms of false negatives) as most people think.

Some obviously believe the errors are still with us - Laurence Gilder on Twitter asking people to send in details of positive LFT followed by negative PCR:

twitter.com/lawrencegilder/status/1455980190455279631?s=21