Lateral flow question

[Elliejane]

Hi
How is everyone ? I have not posted on here for years but used to post many years ago
I wonder if anyone can help
My son who is 14 tested positive for Covid last Sunday morning . He had a scratchy throat on sat and we did 2 lateral flow both negative then got a positive Sunday am followed by positive pcr . He is isolating in his room as he not want to pass it on to rest of family . We are in Scotland so he has to isolate until 29th .
The thing that worrying me is that on 23rd he did a lateral flow just to see and as expected it was negative with a medium line . Tested again on 24th late at night and was much smaller line almost gone . However he tested again last night on 25th and line was back to what it was on 23rd . He got a bit upset as I think he expected to be negative but it got me worrying a bit as to why it got worse again
He has had blocked nose and bit of gunk in throat . No fever or cough . Slight loss of smell

I am stressing now about this lateral flow and reading mixed messages online . Some sites say don’t test again after positive pcr and then England have this day 6/7 negative tests now rules which seems to contradict that . I worrying now if by day 10 it’s still a line can he really stop isolating . Nhs seems to say yes .
I get anxious as it is with health things so this making me worse
Any thoughts ?
Ellie

Sorry I mean positive on 23rd not negative

Anyone ?

Why all the tests? What a waste of plastic and money when he has to isolate anyway.
The strength of the line will vary depending on various things including how well a sample was obtained. There was no need to do any lateral flow tests. He had symptoms so hopefully did a PCR and isolated until the results came back. No need to waste a LFT first.
Yes, he can come out of isolation on day 10. No need to test unless guidance changes.

He had no official Covid symptoms but we tested 3 times before he got positive . We actually got praised by track and trace as he had 3 negative and they said lots of parents would have just then dismissed as a cold.

I agree now though that i getting totally ocd in getting a negative test but seems others are too from other posts . It’s only since England says day 6/7 negative it’s worrying me more that why say that when before it was don’t test at all after first positive test .

Are you all isolating as the rules in Scotland are that the whole household isolates for 10 days ? The rules are different in England and although they say you can early release from isolation with negative tests on day 6 and 7 not everyone will test negative by then.

Also LFT can give false negatives so if it says negative that may not be a true result.

And he can stop isolating after 10 days without needing a negative test

Yes we all isolating as in Scotland .
Thanks that the bit that worrying me is in day 10 being positive still but being allowed out of isolation . Just so unclear with different parts of uk doing it’s own thing now

Isolate for 10 days, come out into the world on day 11.

You don't need a negative test. There's no seven day rule in Scotland yet. Isolate for 10 days then carry on with your life.

After this many days he will not be shedding much virus. That's why you can disregard tests and just carry on after the 10 days have passed.

Thanks everyone. I think I becoming obsessed with negative tests . Ocd at finest

@Elliejane

Thanks everyone. I think I becoming obsessed with negative tests . Ocd at finest

The cost of a single LFT to the taxpayer is about £8. Sure use them when needed but please don't waste them. Whether the tests were positive or negative would've made no difference to what you did during the isolation period so was literally money down the drain.

A positive LFT after a few days doesn't mean he's infectious (it picks up dead as well as live virus)... very unlikely after day 10 unless he still has a fever and is very sick, but a negative LFT means he's very unlikely to be infectious.