Negative LFT positive PCR

[FurryBandito]

Has anyone else had this combination? I'm part of the Zoe research app so the other day I listed very slight sore throat, very slightly runny nose and very mild headache. All LFTs have been negative. ZOE invited me to take PCR . Posted it off on 8th and yesterday got texts/email saying it's positive. Out of interest I've just taken another LFT and it's still negative. I'm not sure if LFTs are false negs or whether PCR could be false positive. I couldn't even describe my symptoms as a cold they're so minimal.

I'd bet the LFTs are giving false negatives rather than having a false posituve PCR. When my dh had covid he had a scratchy throat and runny nose and that's about it

If you've got a positive PCR, it's much more likely to be right than a negative LFT. Lateral flows are not nearly as sensitive and miss some cases especially is viral load is low.
How can we be two years in and you still not know this?

I had covid at Christmas and never tested positive on a LF at all, only a PCR

Agree with the other posters. My son and I be both had covid in February. Other then being tired and having a tummy ache we were nt too bad and were only feeling ill a few days. My son tested negative on LFT every single day I did nt test positive till day 4 by which point I was feeling fine. Both of us had a positive PCR

I have Covid at the minute. I’m showing negative on the nasal swab only LTF’s but positive on the throat swab version. Am awaiting PCR but as I feel pretty I’ll right now I’ll assume it’s positive!

Ff10n Even if LFTs are nowhere near as sensitive as PCR I kind of expected that even very mild infection would have shown up at some stage over 5 days LFTs , especially on the day the PCR came back positive. Im not totally asymptomatic so was expecting the LFT to show a very faint positive.

WhatTheWho. I hope you are soon over the worst. When DP had it a few months ago his LFT showed positive in less than 5 mins. He was really unwell though. I didnt realise just how insensitive to very mild infection LFTs can be.

We had a mix of negative LFT/positive PCR and positive/positive. Kept testing the negative LFT DC to see when/if it changed to positive and got a wide range but they all did get positive LFT in the end over the 10 days. And it didn't correlate to who felt the worse or who got a positive PCR first. I've no idea what we would have done if we hadn't all had it at the same time.

If I’d not been asked to take a PCR by the ZOE app I’d have thought I didn’t have covid as have had about 5 days of neg LGTs now. Will keep away from anyone vulnerable, wear a mask and keep doing LFTs.

Bluer it’s interesting how all your family’s positive results had little to do with how unwell they felt. Hope you’re all ok now.

We had same. DD had positive PCR, but never positive LF. (She definitely had Covid as the rest of the house apart from me did).

If it’s a nasal only if you swabbtinails you may get a positive on one.

Swab tonsils.

Obviously the PCR is right. LFT are famously less accurate!

I had 2 negative LF on Saturday. Another negative LF on Sunday at 4pm. Took a PCR on Sunday at 5pm and it was positive.

Thanks everyone. I didn’t realise LFTs were quite so hit and miss.