Are some people prone to false negative Covid tests?

[ArmChairQueen]

My my current situation has got me wondering if some individuals are less likely to produce a positive test result regardless of whether they have Covid .

There is no scientific basis for thinking this but this is my experience:

18 months ago I had classic Covid symptoms including a loss of taste. Tested negative on two PCRs then teen DC tested positive the following week.

Now my other teenage DC has just tested positive on lateral flow and then PCR. I took a pcr when she had hers ( negative- unsurprisingly). But yesterday I developed a streaming ‘cold’ and yet I’m still testing negative on lateral flow. How can I NOT have Covid? And why are my own results always negative even when I have symptoms and have family members with confirmed cases?

Anyone had similar?

Is a false positive more likely to occur repeatedly in some people or is it random, I wonder?

I found LFTs made my nose sore, there's no way on earth I'm swabbing the way the diagram shows! All my PCRs have been done for me and have been really gentle so I'm sure they haven't done it that way either. If you had to do it like that I wouldn't bother testing at all!

I’ve wondered this. DD had Covid in October and a few days later I developed the same symptoms - took a PCR immediately, negative; gave it a few days, negative again. All lateral flows negative. But we had identical symptoms, and I’m still struggling with my sinuses now. I’m also very thorough with the swabs!!

Interesting, I’ve had faint positive lft’s but negative pcr’s, I have Covid symptoms and I know it could be another type of virus but my symptoms are very much Covid type.

I was wondering this, also if there was any link with tonsil/adenoid removal...?

[quote ArmChairQueen]**@crushedgrape* and @Mrsfrumble* sounds like I’m not alone!

Yes, I definitely saw my first experience as a false report @jeffersonsam. But only after DC tested positive and only after returning to work too soon in a school! I felt so guilty as I fully believed the negative result thinking it was flu ( the taste issue developed on day ten after I’d returned to work).[/quote]
I hope now your are good and well. Most of the people are not aware about this issue due to their work load and other things.

I agree.

I never have colds but 2021 I had a few, one I lost my taste - all negative!!!