How often are you lateral flow testing?

[Starch1e]

With the change in guidance to test before 'mixing with people in crowded indoor places' do you interpret that as meaning potentially every day if going to shops/using public transport? Or not those situations because we're all meant to be masked again?

Previously I thought we had been told there's no advantage to testing more frequently than 2x per week as takes a few days for Covid to develop. I also really dislike all the waste associated with tests.

So how often are you testing? Have your employers changed guidance if you work in a shop or theatre/cinema/similar?

I'm really interested to know if I should be testing more than 2x per week.

I've had a lot of medical appointments recently so have been doing 3times a week at least, if not more as they always ask if you've done a Test. Now the appointments are being cut down I'll cut down on the testing.

About twice a week, it's been government guidance for a while here and whilst not a requirement for work if I'm going in the office I'd rather not be the asymptomatic person who spreads it to others! I'd also do one if i was going to stay with friends / family etc.

@DillDanding

I have never taken one.

Same here. WFH, don't have nursery/school-aged kids. And sticking things up my nose and down my throat is as unpleasant for me as wearing a mask is for some people - I really struggle just cleaning my teeth without gagging at times. So I am only doing it if I absolutely have to.

I wish they'd roll out something where you only have to swab the inside of your cheek.

I don’t generally

I have when a positive in the house

Twice a week but if going somewhere where likely to be mixing more will test beforehand as well.

@fakereview you don’t swab your throat at all with the new LFT only nostrils.

Twice a week for LFD and once a week PCR for work.

@Macaroni46

Twice a week for work. Getting a bit fed up with it now tbh, especially the reporting bit.

Macaroni46 Oh yes the reporting. When I wonder why I never have any time it is this sort of thing I feel I'm wasting my life on... Although I'm nerdy enough to enjoy the option now to not receive text/email confirmation of negative tests so at least don't spend time deleting all those

[quote Angel2702]@fakereview you don’t swab your throat at all with the new LFT only nostrils.[/quote]
Angel2702 first 2 boxes of nose only tests collected today! Looking forward to not stabbing vaguely at tonsils

Do you (or anyone) know why the change?

Never

Thanks for all the replies. I feel reassured to continue with only 2x per week

Twice a week. I like to for work, and because I have parents in their 80s and a relative who is CEV.
Always when I go to get a beauty treatment or to the hairdresser, and the dentist/hygienist etc

Almost never. Will done one before an event or if someone I know has covid or symptoms though

I agree it's way better now it's just your nostrils. No more gagging.

Oh is it a thing now to think you’re clever because you’ve never tested?

Thursdays when we care for grandchild and Fridays when eldest comes home from university (as does he).

Never usually as we are retired but have a cold so took LF yesterday just in case as it seems rife around here.

Daily at the moment because DD has Covid. My PCR and lateral flows all negative so far.
Normally twice a week for work.

Daily at the moment. My dc has covid.

I generally only test if I'm about to visit elderly family members. However, have suggested we all ought to test before our work Xmas lunch.

Also daily here as my DS has covid.

I really don’t think the new LFTs are any good though. There’s a huge outbreak of Covid at my DS’s school despite twice weekly testing, which has now been changed to daily testing if possible. My DS and a couple of classmates have came down with covid symptoms within 24 hours of a negative LTF. He’s in primary school, so I did both tests. Completely negative Sunday evening, Covid symptoms from lunchtime Monday, and a very dark positive Tuesday morning which came up immediately. I didn’t test him Monday evening as I thought it unlikely a line would come up when the one 24 hours before was completely negative.

Never, have only done it twice, once before we were due to fly and once when I had symptoms

@Yayayaya20 I don't think people who don't test are thinking they are clever but wtf, would you continually and routinely test for other communicable illnesses? Why should this be part of "normal" life? Not to mention the environmental impact of all of these plastic based tests

Never had symptoms. Never tested.

@Malteser71

Never had symptoms. Never tested.

LFTs are not for when you have symptoms though.