What is the issue with Flowflex LFDs?

[altmember]

I keep seeing people mention some sort of issue/unreliability with Flowflex LFD tests and faint positive results on here. What exactly is the issue please?

3 of my kids tested positive for covid a couple of weeks ago. DD was using Orient Gene LFDs and hers went back to negative after 6 days so she went back to school. Younger two (both using Flowfex) have continued to get very faint positive results right up to, and including day 10. Day 11 I managed to get hold of a couple of Orient Gene tests and they both tested negative on those.

So are the Flowflex a bit too sensitive, or picking up something they shouldn't be? We've been using Flowflex for ages before having covid and never had a false positive, or any kind of a faint line appear before, so they must be picking up some remnants of the virus.

Bit miffed that my kids have possibly missed most of a week of school if they were actually over covid. Tomorrow is my own day 5 and I only have 1 Orient Gene test left to try on myself, but loads of Flowflex. Reluctant to go by the flowflex results if they're going to keep me isolating for the full 10 days unnecessarily.

Bumping as would like to hear from others. DC on day 10 today - tested positive on FlowFlex and negative on other make. I'm still positive on both though :(

watching too OP! I have both flowflex and the older ones, currently have covid and desperate to escape asap! I will likely test on the older ones when it's time as my son kept getting very feint positives on flowflex late in through his isolation

The issue is that some people kee getting positive for months at time when do not have covid or symptoms and repeated PCR come back negative. They repeat them it’s a known issue that for some reason it constant says they are negative.

In your case though if you have covid most people will still be showing positive up to day 10 and beyond. Few people are free on day 6 but think it’s still less than those who aren’t.

DP had a very faint positive on a Flow Flex - positive on a PCR. He had Covid.

We had a mix of flowflex and something else (can't see a brand on it) DH & DS both tested positive on flowflex on multiple occasions over 7 day period whilst I was negative. The other brand also picked up DH & DS positive results on day 5. I'm still negative on the unbranded box.

My Flowflex tests always turn a faint positive either on or after the half hour mark and have done for months. The ones I do first thing in the morning especially. I've done a couple of PCRs and done other brand LFTs all of which are negative.

@Akire

The issue is that some people kee getting positive for months at time when do not have covid or symptoms and repeated PCR come back negative. They repeat them it’s a known issue that for some reason it constant says they are negative.

In your case though if you have covid most people will still be showing positive up to day 10 and beyond. Few people are free on day 6 but think it’s still less than those who aren’t.

This was our issue.

Although I’ve discovered if I swab throat and nose with Flowflex we don’t get false positives.

@SmashingBIouse

My Flowflex tests always turn a faint positive either on or after the half hour mark and have done for months. The ones I do first thing in the morning especially. I've done a couple of PCRs and done other brand LFTs all of which are negative.

The positives always appeared in 15 mins!

We had a couple Lft faint positives with flow flex that were negative on pcr since September. Neighbours said the same.

However they've picked up my son's positive infection very well.

But his nursery told us to get a pcr to double check, as at the point he had no symptoms and they said Phe are recommending they suggest parents double check with pcr. They've a big outbreak at the moment and are working closely with PHE.

We’ve had loads of false positives on FlowFlexes in this house - all confirmed negative with a PCR.

It’s caused no end of hassle in relation to work, and we groan when a new box is delivered and it’s a FlowFlex.

Felix flex once the max time read is at 15m though not 30m like other ones. Least on my sets. So if it’s showing at 25m it’s going be outside time and void. Just an idea check
Your box as times change

I’ve not had any issue with them personally and found for our family they were perfectly in line with pcr results. Some family tested negative again day 5, for me it was day 10 but this was proportionate to how ill we were.

@Akire

Felix flex once the max time read is at 15m though not 30m like other ones. Least on my sets. So if it’s showing at 25m it’s going be outside time and void. Just an idea check Your box as times change

Flowflex tests say to read at 15-30 and no later than 30, so 25 mins is fine.

DS is a teacher and still testing positive on day 9 on a different brand.

I've only ever had the old original version and then later flowflex. What other ones are there?

Dd tested positive on flow flex for 3 months - finally negative now.

@tulips27

I've only ever had the old original version and then later flowflex. What other ones are there?

Orient gene. White box with green on it. By far the best - we have been getting these for weeks.

We found the positive line on flowflex to appear stronger than on the other tests and we continued to see faint positives on flowflex beyond day 10. Other test strips showed negative by day 8/9

A friend who works for the NHS has said a faint positive indicates Covid with lower levels of infectiousness rather than milder illness.

We've had issues with them. DD for faint positive on flow flex and a negative PCR. I know lots of people who have had the same experience.

How do I know of they're flowflex?

@Onlyrainbows it clearly says Flowflex on the box in big letters

@Onlyrainbows

How do I know of they're flowflex?

Says flowflex on the box. Dark blue box I think Orient gene is a white and green box Unbranded nhs ones are in a blue and white box and are for nose and throat

Don't know any others