LFT question

[blackwych]

I am wondering if I might actually have covid. I have been unwell for several days with nasty cold symptoms. I've done 3 lateral flow tests and two of them have come up with a faint positive line about 2 hours after doing them, which is supposed to be a rare occurrence. I know that the advice is that after the 15-30 minute development window tests are invalid, but both the tests with a T line were done straight after getting up in the morning, with no food or drink beforehand that could have been a contaminant.

I have done dozens and dozens of tests during the pandemic (for work) - PCRs and LFTs - and none of them have been positive or produced a line before. Plus, I am actually ill. Has anyone else had a line appear after the 15-30 mins and then found out that they really did have covid? Could it be that I have covid but am not shedding enough virus to produce a positive result on an LFT within the required timeframe?

it could be.

I know someone who had 3 negative PCR tests when all her family members were positive, but when she had the antibody test (NHS & pre vaccines) tested positive, so she did have it but no test picked it up.

I also have a friend & her husband who were negative on all LFT’s but positive on PCR. They tested because DS had positive LFT so it does happen.

I had covid in March. I was negative on LFT initially. Had a positive come up after 90 minutes. Then 2 negatives. I got proper positives in the time period a day later. So yes it does happen.