Does positive LFT show immediately?

[greyep]

My sons test had a very faint line about an hour after, so I did another which also had a very faint line but 25min into the test. He then did a different brand which showed nothing at all, he then did one of the previous brand which showed a very faint line 10min in. Is he positive? The lines are very faint. Should a real positive show immediately like the control line?

My initial positive was faint, the next day it was strong and up before the control line

Mine did

My first line was so feint anyone else would have missed it, but I was very alert as DH was positive and I didn't feel well. I did another one a few hours later, feint again. Next morning there was a pale red line.

Yes I wondered this, I did mine in my son, nothing. Then the following day two lines…I presumed it just defaulted to two lines…

Yes, it's positive. A feint line, is a line. I expect if you test him tomorrow the line will be stronger.

They say the one where you swab your throat too is better at picking up omicron as it sits more in the throat than the nose.

I think it depends at which stage of infection you are when you test. My first LFT had a faint line after 20 mins (it was a 30min one), then when I did one five days in to see if I could leave isolation early, the line came up instantly, even before the liquid hit the control line. From then on they showed up about the same time. If you do one tomorrow it’ll probably be clearer.

They can be faint

I take it he's positive then and has to isolate. Do I order a PCR now for him?

If you register it it talks you through

I think it is currently no PCR needed unless he has symptoms but it will tell you

@greyep

I take it he's positive then and has to isolate. Do I order a PCR now for him?

You don't need a PCR but if this faint line is showing up after the time frame I would LFT again. You need to throw it out and not read it after 15/30 mins depending on test

Was the brand with the faint lines flowflex? My DS sometimes gets faint lines on these and follow up PCRs have always been negative.

Are you following the instructions with regards to timing? A "positive" result, faint or strong, only counts as positive if it appears within the timescale given in the instructions.

The processing method also varies quite a bit between brands of LFT. It's a pain, but be sure to read the instructions carefully. A lot of user error (and inaccurate results) are caused by people following the wrong method.

I wouldn’t register it yet. Do it again tomorrow and if there’s a line then say symptoms started today (or you can register the one you did today then as you have 24hr to register them)

He had a much darker line this morning.

Sorry to hear that OP. I was the same a feint line first.

He doesn't need a PCR unless school require it or you're likely to be travelling to a country that'll need a negative PCR in the next couple of months (in that case you'll need proof he's had it, as it can show up on a PCR for a while after).