I don't get the thought process behind the new LFT rule?

[Wednesdayafternoon]

Surely the people who need the pcr are those without symptoms incase the lft is a false/faulty one! Surely the ones who are poorly should be able to stay at home without going out?

Am I missing soemthing?

LFT’s are for symptomless people.

LFT is for no symptoms
PCR if you have symptoms
If you get a positive LFT with no symptoms there's no need to follow up with PCR

Its because there is currently high pressure on the testing system, so this is designed to relieve it. It is, in theory anyway, intended as a 'temporary measure'.

It is also because, when prevalance of cases is as high as it currently is, the chances of it being a false positive are far, far lower than when cases are low (essentially, so many people have covid, that if an LFT says you have it, chances are you do. But when hardly anyone has it, the chances of it being wrong are higher).

I would imagine that if someone genuinely thought it could be wrong they'd just go for a PCR anyway (hadn't left the house in 2 weeks for example).

Ahhh ok fair enough!

You still need a PCR if you have symptoms & a negative LF.

If you have symptoms & a positive LF (or no symptoms & a positive LF) no need to bother with a PCR.

It makes lots of sense to be honest. Most people are using LFTs in the first instance. Literally everyone I know who gets gets cough or cold like symptoms initially does an LFT to check. A decent percentage of those will be positive & no need to then do PCR. Saves a lot of faff when you don’t feel well & saves on resources as well!

I think the reporting on this is not clear. I heard it on the radio as:
Positive LFT plus symptoms - get PCR.
Positive LFT without symptoms - don't PCR

I thought, that's weird! Now thinking I misunderstood......

I’m getting positive LF and 2 x negative PCRs, my husband has covid. The LF have been more reliable for me, it would be too big a coincidence for me to be getting false positive LF while we have covid in the house.

This seems like a good change to me.

Intimately it is to save money and ween people off the obsession of C19

LFT aren’t reported as well as PCR results.

PCR results and the only ones recorded on the worldometre - less PCR - Less results - things look better.

@SummerHouse

I think the reporting on this is not clear. I heard it on the radio as: Positive LFT plus symptoms - get PCR. Positive LFT without symptoms - don't PCR

I thought, that's weird! Now thinking I misunderstood......

That’s how I’m hearing it too which doesn’t make sense. Surely it should be: Symptoms plus positive lft-no need for pcr Symptoms plus negative lft-pcr Positive lft, no symptoms-pcr or another lft ?

The only reason I can think of is so they can track variants that are causing symptoms

I think my post on another thread earlier today is equally relevant here, so here goes...

It is so so SO confusing now and makes me very angry.

My interpretation is that if you have a positive LFT, symptoms or not, then you can assume you have COVID and crack on with self-isolation without going for PCR. Because false positives are rare on LFTs so if the test has found the virus, you must have the virus.

But if you are unwell and the LFT is negative, you can't guarantee that it's not COVID because false negatives are fairly common. So you go and get a PCR, because you could otherwise be spreading COVID on the basis of having a negative LFT.

Of course 'symptoms' is also overly vague: we all know there are many symptoms of COVID now and many won't have any of the official three (fever, new continuous cough, loss/change of taste/smell). So you could have a headache, feel dizzy, body aches and test negative on LFT. These are definitely COVID symptoms so off you go to the website to book a PCR... but then it says you're not eligible because you don't have three particular COVID symptoms!

Why does it have to be so damn confusing and unclear?

I think it's meant to be:
Symptoms - book in for a PCR, don't bother with an LFT
No symptoms, positive LFT, isolate straightaway, no need to do a PCR

Put like that, you can see you should only do either a PCR or an LFT. I assume the motivation is to stop people using two or more tests for one episode of illness/ potential illness, thus reducing pressure on the testing system.

What if you have symptoms, get a PCR and it's negative, then do a LFT out of curiosity and it's an instant thick pink line positive?

Is it not:

Positive LFT, with or without symptoms = no PCR and just isolate

Negative LFT and symptoms = get a PCR

Negative LFT and no symptoms = no PCR and no isolating.

Strictly speaking you’re not meant to do an LFT with symptoms but I’ve done it for colds since you’re not meant to get a PCR for colds.