Positive LFT but negative PCR

[user1892711]

Has a positive LFT on 28/12 and had a PCR the next day which was negative.
I had symptoms so isolated.
Did another LFT on 4/1 and it was still positive so booked another PCR and it was negative.
Still have symptoms, can I come out of isolation after 10 days even if I still have symptoms?

LFTs are so unreliable, maybe you got a dodgy batch.

PCRs are meant to be 99% and if you've had two negatives I would say you're all clear of covid and it's more likely to be a cold/something else obviously depending on your symptoms.

I wouldn't bother isolating any more.

Hope you feel better soon though.

Yes you don't have to isolate if your PCR is negative.

I would only come out of isolation day 10 if I didn’t feel too bad or have a temperature, but if you indeed did have covid, then you should be contagious at 10 days.

You’re more likely to get a false negative PCR than a false positive LFT from what I can gather. So do 10 days isolation from your first symptoms, and provided you don’t have a fever, you can then carry on as normal.

Despite what some pps are imagining here, LFTs are very accurate if they show positive. PCRs are also accurate if they show positive, but not at all so accurate if they show negative.

So - if you have a positive LFT, assume you have Covid no matter what the PCR says.

You had a second positive LFT on Day 7, so you need to keep isolating until Day 10, which you have done correctly.

However, to answer your question about leaving isolation after 10 days WITH SYMPTOMS, the NHS website says this :
You may need to self-isolate for longer if you get symptoms while self-isolating or your symptoms do not go away.

I would leave it another day or so until your symptoms subside.

So - if you have a positive LFT, assume you have Covid no matter what the PCR says.

That's not the official guidelines though, just your opinion. Most workplaces follow these, so a negative PCR means you return to work.

It has just been adopted as guidance. It will be in place from 11 January.

I know several people who have had positive LFTs but negative PCRs. They haven't isolated after getting the PCR result.

@Haffiana

It has just been adopted as guidance. It will be in place from 11 January.

So for now it's not guidance. None of it makes any sense anyway.

Irrespective of whether it is official guidance right now, the virus is the same virus that it will be next week. And LFTS will be as accurate and correct today as they will be on the 11th.

Therefore the advice stands. If you have a positive LFT result then you need to assume you have Covid.