There must be so many people walking about who are unknowingly positive

[devildeepbluesea]

PCR positive result through this morning.

Been doing regular LFTs, all neg except 1 yesterday morning. After my PCR I did another 2 LFTs because I had good reason to suspect the positive LFT was contaminated. Both negative.

So out of a whole box of LFTs only one gave the correct result.

So I've been walking around, very likely positive, for days. I mean what's the point if LFTs are for asymptomatic people?

I read the other day that LFTs are much more accurate now. Not sure how true that is.

It is how it will be. Lockdown is one hell of a solution to that problem.

Agreed. My Ds did a lateral flow on a Sunday. Negative. Repeated on Tuesday pm, positive. No symptoms. Only tested because he was going out with his mates and one of them has a CEV mum, so they all test before they all get together. PCR positive. He didn't come down with symptoms for another couple of days. If he hadn't have done the test, we'd have never have known, especially because his symptoms weren't any of the 3 that allow a PCR. No temp, no cough and no loss of taste or smell.

But the LFT you used found your asymptomatic infection, so they are working? It's always been the case that they don't pick up everyone.

Pure luck @whatswithtodaytoday

If I'd chosen a different test from the box I still wouldn't know.

exactly, which is why we must keep our distance and wear masks
but we are not!

There are loads especially primary kids who don’t do LFT at all. My daughter had no symptoms for her entire isolation. Would never have thought to test her but she was very clearly positive. Goodness knows how many other infections are in her class or who she caught it from as there was only one other confirmed case in her class.

@devildeepbluesea

Pure luck *@whatswithtodaytoday*

If I'd chosen a different test from the box I still wouldn't know.

Was it not just the viral load was at a point to be read by the LFT only once rather than a contaminated box? It sounds like the test did it's job to me, you took a PCR as LFT was positive and found the infection.

That's been the case since the beginning though. We very nearly missed DD having it as her symptoms were do mild. LFT's not being done regularly at that point.
I'm not sure how many people are doing LFT at home anyway. DD is because she's at school, DH and I only do them infrequently.

I tested positive for antibodies in June 2020 (routine screening through work, NHS) but had no idea when I had Covid.

@CeeceeBloomingdale

The issue is most people using lft do them 2 to 3 times a week. So if you test sunday and wednesday these could both be negative but if you test sat and tuesday for example the tuesday test could be positive. Ie sat, sun, mon, wed, thurs, fri negative lft only shows positive on the tuesday. See how many people are missing the positive test. Then you have all those not using lft and all those with symptoms not PCR testing as ive done a lft and it negative or its just a cold i dont need a test.
Then its easy to see how the infections are growing out of control

None of my LTFs were positive when I had covid. I did them both before and after the pcr, so no, I don't think they're completely reliable.

Having said that, it was a routine LTF that first picked up the fact that dd was positive before she developed any symptoms, which meant that she stayed at home rather than going into school to infect everyone. So they do have their uses!

Neither the LFT or PCR are 100% reliable unfortunately. DH had negative LFT but some symptoms so had PCR which was negative. Day later he had breathing difficulties and was taken into hospital where they didn’t know if it was Covid, pneumonia or both. 3 more negative tests in hospital. A week later DS and I tested positive. We had not been out for 12 days at that point (was over Christmas holidays) and had only seen DH so must have got it from him, proving that he had it.
Agree with pp - masks etc are the way forward, not relying on potentially flawed tests.

My 7 year old was asymptomatic, only picked up because his older brother failed an lft so I got us all pcr tested. Turns out half his class were positive but asymptomatic.

My DD (12) was in contact with a friend a couple of weeks ago who tested positive the next day.

She was doing daily LFTs until after 4 days we got a very faint line. Did 2 more and one looked negative and the third had another very faint line.

PCR was positive and the only symptoms she had were a headache and feeling tired.

Me and DH are also both positive now and don't test positive until symptoms had started yet DD(17) is still posting negative LFTs and a negative PCR. maybe because she only leaves her room for food

So many people are asymptomatic anyway

Me! Doing lft's which were all negative. Then got a pcr to show my dd11 with asd who had symptoms, how easy they are to do. Hers was negative, mine positive with no symptoms! No way I mixed them up either. I feel so guilty about how many people I had contact with before I knew!