DS insisting swabbing one nostril is enough

[MoodySky]

DH and I currently have tested positive for Covid.

21 yr old DS has been testing regularly but all tests are negative, despite him having all the same symptoms as us (flu-like).

However, he only swabs one nostril not both. The C has a line against it, so I'm assuming it's working correctly. But can anyone help me understand what's going on as I'm sure he must be positive.

Is he using a PCR?

One is fine. Dd only swabbed one nostril as she had recently had the other side pierced and hers came up positive when she had covid. Try it yourself when you next test and see if it works. Although they are known for not always being accurate

He might genuinely not be positive. I don't see how swabbing one nostril would lead to a fake negative tbh. Loads of people don't catch it off others in the house. I had it last week and my dp didn't catch it.

Thanks for your replies. I just don't get how he's got the same symptoms as us, but not Covid?

Swabbing one should be fine but would be beat to do 2.

The control line just means that the test is working. It hasnt been damaged or malfunctioned. You could out a few droplets of the liquid on it without doing any swabbing at all and you would get the control line. It just says the test is working.

I went to a gig with my DS in December and they made him do a LFT before entry, but told him to just swab 1 nostril. (He wasn't fully vaccinated at that stage.)

One is fine

@MoodySky

Thanks for your replies. I just don't get how he's got the same symptoms as us, but not Covid?

It may be that he just won’t test positive on LFT regardless of how he does it.

When I had covid I was getting blazing positives on LFTs, and as a quick check I did the crappest swab ever, just a little wipe on the edge of one nostril and it was still a very clear positive. So I think that if you are going to get a positive LFT (and not everyone who has covid does, maybe it’s just not present in their nose in a way that is detectable) then even a poor swab will show it in all likelihood

(Or, he doesn’t have covid. That is also very likely)

He could have Covid and test negative on LFTs. Loads of people do and then test positive on PCRs. A negative LFT doesn't mean he hasn't got Covid - both DS and I tested negative on LFT and positive on PCR.

I agree with previous posters that one nostril is most likely enough. When my kids had covid and we were doing the day 5+ swabs everyday for early release, some days even holding them down I could barely get it even slightly in one nostril let alone both and we were still getting clear positives.