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Original poster

LFT useless at early stages?

24 replies

Arcadia · 27/01/2022 12:11

From what I am seeing around me (now practically everyone I know including DH and DD have Covid at the moment) the lateral flow tests are only showing positive on the second day of symptoms. So given they have said you are most infectious a day or so before symptoms start and the first couple of days after that, how is this any help?
I'm currently testing negative but know I could pass it to my colleagues (not WFH) which I feel bad about but nothing I can do!

Anyone else noticing this?

OP posts:
Picklesandbeans · 27/01/2022 12:25

Yes! Symptoms on monday, in work until Tuesday then positive on Wednesday! 🙄

Original poster
Arcadia · 27/01/2022 12:30

I know, I sent DD to a party with a slight cough (not enough for PCR) as it was negative lat flow. I feel bad about it now!
I'm sure they're not preventing much spread!

OP posts:
SomewhereOnlyIKnow · 27/01/2022 12:31

DH has symptoms but had negative LFT and positive PCR on same day !

Original poster
Arcadia · 27/01/2022 12:35

@SomewhereOnlyIKnow same thing with our friend! She only gets PCR because she's NHS, and had cold symptoms but lat flows were still showing negative

OP posts:
indie123 · 27/01/2022 12:37

My symptoms started monday and i only just got positive lft today Thursday

TiddleTaddleTat · 27/01/2022 12:38

Well they aren’t totally useless if they do pick up infections in the second day..
But to check for infection , yes not that helpful really. A negative result doesn’t mean much.
Mine only turned positive in day 3 of symptoms.

FloatyBoaty · 27/01/2022 12:40

No, ours worked the minute we were symptomatic. DS woke up with a slightly sore throat- tested him and the positive test line appeared before the control.

I tested that afternoon when I started to get a headache- also positive.

We were both very symptomatic the next day (and for some days after)

tigger1001 · 27/01/2022 12:43

Mine was positive as soon as symptoms appeared (mild symptoms). Tested in the morning as oh had it and was negative but by tea time I felt stuffed up and tested positive.

Elzbells · 27/01/2022 12:57

Mine took 3 days to turn positive. I was out Xmas shopping thinking I just had a bit of a cold.

RachC2021 · 27/01/2022 13:01

LFTs are not as sensitive as PCRs.

But PCRs cost more to process and take substantially longer to process. Unless you want to go back to everyone isolating the second they get a runny nose or sore throat (not to mention cough, temperature, change of taste), there isn’t a solution other than LFTs. LFTs will still pick up some asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic cases.

Username3092997 · 27/01/2022 13:34

It really depends. For me recently, an lft picked it up a day or two before symptoms started - was testing daily as Dp had it.

It picked it up quickly for Dp too. He was a close contact... he had a negative pcr one day (with no symptoms) and symptoms and strong instant positive lft the next day.

Pretty accurate for dc too.

But I know it's not the case for everyone.

Notstrongandstable · 27/01/2022 13:36

No I disagree!
DS tested positive on Sunday night during his routine LFT taken for school. Really strong line.
No symptoms. Started feeling a little unwell on Monday but now totally recovered except we have to hope he'll get an early release on his Day 5 test tomorrow and Saturday.
I think it really varies

piscis · 27/01/2022 14:08

I've had covid twice and it was the same for me both times, lft negative until day 2 of symptoms (a friend of mine no positive until day 4 of symptoms). But to be fair, it has always been said that with symptoms you should get a PCR, not a LFT. Lft are good for regular testing asimptomatic people, as they can pick up some of these cases (the second time we got it, my DH was asymptomatic and was picked up by the LFT anyway)

Original poster
Arcadia · 27/01/2022 14:36

Yes I understand why they are mainly used for asymptomatic testing now.
But the 3 PCR symptoms are not being experienced by most vaccinated omicron sufferers anyway!

OP posts:
piscis · 27/01/2022 17:14

Symptoms definitely have to be updated.

FlamingRoses · 27/01/2022 17:16

Took 4 days for my child to test positive on an lft. Didn’t PCR as no typical symptoms until the 4th day.

Started with sore throat, headache, blocked nose. Negative x3 then 4th day cough started, lft blazing.

littlepeas · 27/01/2022 17:19

Didn't pick up my dh's very obvious covid back in October - classic symptoms and it was already in the house - pcr was positive.

We are testing daily at the moment, as ds has it again - all of us negative and nearly a week in. I don't trust them - it feels like at least one of us should be down by now!

Christmas1988 · 27/01/2022 17:25

Sore throat and cold symptoms on Thursday, LFT negative until the Monday evening. I knew I had it on Thursday as half of my sons class is off, his ballet partner was positive and we saw my SIL the day before she tested positive. I’m not sure to count my isolation from the Thursday or Monday? If anyone knows let me know…

Version4needsabitofwork · 27/01/2022 17:27

@littlepeas

Didn't pick up my dh's very obvious covid back in October - classic symptoms and it was already in the house - pcr was positive.

We are testing daily at the moment, as ds has it again - all of us negative and nearly a week in. I don't trust them - it feels like at least one of us should be down by now!

Same here. We've literally never seen a positive LFT despite regular testing (daily at the moment, becuase we've another confirmed case in the house). We do it becuase we have to - I work in education and we've two kids at school and I'm happy to keep doing so, but it just seems like a big waste of plastic most of the time...
Mossstitch · 27/01/2022 23:25

What I can't understand in all this is they are supposed to pick up asymptomatic infections, but so many people are saying they are not turning positive til well into symptomatic stage, that I can't work out how they can be any use for this. Especially as we now know you are most infectious prior to being symptomatic🤦

Ohsofedupwiththis · 27/01/2022 23:32

My DS has a negative LFT and negative PCR with slight cough. We only got PCR as DD had Covid.

Next day really strong line on LFT.

GeidiPrimes · 27/01/2022 23:32

I wonder at how useless the tests are full stop. I've been sick for nearly 2 weeks with every single symptom of omicron. PCR negative though.

tumpymummy · 27/01/2022 23:45

I've been testing daily for a week with lateral flows sometimes twice a day because we have covid at home and at school where i work. All negative, only went for a PCR because I didnt feel quite right, didnt feel ill. Had a slightly tickly throat, that meant I was clearing my throat once every 2-3hours. That came back negative too yestetday so I carried on working and going to shops. Bang, this morning I was most definitely positive on a LFT. So for 3 days at least I have been carrying on as normal. No wonder it is spreading so easily. If they wanted to stop the spread they would have kept the isolation if someone in your household is positive, clearly that's not the aim anymore.

Whitefire · 27/01/2022 23:57

DD got a very very faint LFT earlier (sore throat, headache) I had some old style throat and nose ones so used that. I'm not sure a nose only would have picked up.

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