Can you use any old swab for LFT tests?

[Opihr]

I have a precious box of LFT's but they're missing the swabs. If I used a cotton bud or similar, would that work?

Doubt it as they wouldn't be sterile

Does it matter if they are sterile, as long as another potentially covid positive person hasn't sneezed or coughed all over them in the last few days what difference would it make?

@Svara

Does it matter if they are sterile, as long as another potentially covid positive person hasn't sneezed or coughed all over them in the last few days what difference would it make?

That's what I was thinking. I know it's not ideal but it might be better than nothing?

I don't think a standard cotton bud is long and thin enough? Also they shed the fibres easily - do you want a lump of cotton torn off and stuck deep up your nose?

There was a question about this a couple of weeks ago. I think it would be better than nothing.

I had a test yesterday at a testing centre and the swabs were not like the ones they usually have. It was basically a larger cotton bud and looked like made from cotton also so I imagine it wld work!