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Original poster

How long did it take for your lateral flow to turn negative?

63 replies

hoping2021 · 12/07/2022 17:00

Hi all,
I was just wondering if anyone (adults) have recently had COVID? If so, how long did it take for your lateral flow to turn negative?
I work volunteer with a mix of people including vulnerable people so I obviously don't want to go if I am showing positive.
Today I am day 4 and I am testing my so strongly positive.
Do I have hope of being clear soon??
I am really interested to know about recent experiences as I understand recovery may be more prolonged?? is this true.
I am 40 years old and triple vaccinated and this is the first time I've had covid.

OP posts:
feelingprettylight · 13/07/2022 07:25

Hang on, positive line doesn't equate to contagious-ness!

The rules changed to 7 days and then down to 5 before being abandoned.

Allow for a week of isolation then should be fine?

I say this as I have an isolating husband in the spare room and I'm giving him a week!

tumtitum · 13/07/2022 07:34

I tested positive strongly for 6 days then straight to negative. I was expecting it to fade but nope, strong one day then gone the next! I started going out again after day 5, so for the last day, but was careful and wore a mask just in case

Mybeautifulfriend22 · 13/07/2022 07:39

feelingprettylight · 13/07/2022 07:25

Hang on, positive line doesn't equate to contagious-ness!

The rules changed to 7 days and then down to 5 before being abandoned.

Allow for a week of isolation then should be fine?

I say this as I have an isolating husband in the spare room and I'm giving him a week!

I’m nhs staff and my trust are still following two negatives until ten days. While some people may not be that contagious if the line is still thick like mine is on day 6 I’m not risking spreading it. This new omicron variant is as contagious as measles, they don’t actually know the infectious times with it as it’s mutated quite heavily again with some changes going backwards towards the delta variant again.

Original poster
hoping2021 · 13/07/2022 08:34

thanks for this. Yes looking at the replies. Most people are reporting becoming negative later. I think you’re right in that government isolation advise/ recommendations were based off old variants.
i really hope mine turns negative soon.
day 5 today and test line much darker than control

OP posts:
LaFeuilleMorte · 13/07/2022 08:40

feelingprettylight · 13/07/2022 07:25

Hang on, positive line doesn't equate to contagious-ness!

The rules changed to 7 days and then down to 5 before being abandoned.

Allow for a week of isolation then should be fine?

I say this as I have an isolating husband in the spare room and I'm giving him a week!

It literally says on the NHS notification when you register a positive test that it’s likely you’re contagious if you test positive. I’ve just registered my latest one and got this message:

How long did it take for your lateral flow to turn negative?
WhiteFire · 13/07/2022 09:23

I tested -ve Wednesday, +ve Thursday, tested again this Wednesday and still +ve. Need two -ve before going back to work or day 10.

Still confused about counting the days.

Toomanyminifigs · 13/07/2022 11:54

Day 5 for both DS and me. I was very surprised my test was negative as I still felt/feel pretty rotten. My DH still testing positive on Day 9 so it seems pretty random.

Original poster
hoping2021 · 13/07/2022 12:41

Gives me hope. Dreading if I have to isolate beyond day 9! It’s absolutely miserable.

OP posts:
TheVeryHungryTortoise · 13/07/2022 12:42

I was lateral flow negative by day 3. Triple vaccinated.

mrsdolittle · 13/07/2022 13:57

Faint positive Saturday. Strong positive Sunday. Today negative. Double jabbed and boosted.

This is the third time I've had covid since December 2021 and I think the mildest. Certainly never tested negative so soon before

JustDanceAddict · 13/07/2022 14:14

I really need a neg on Sat so wondering what my chances are.
Tested positive - dark - on Mon, symptoms from Sat. It’s now more of a cold but I still don’t feel ‘right’ although much better than past two days.
Will retest tmw and hope it’s at least faded a lot!

Phrenologistsfinger · 14/07/2022 19:31

Day 14, still faintly positive! TB style cough and fatigue/dizziness my main symptoms now. Definitely wasn’t a ‘mild cold’ for me…

whenwillthemadnessend · 14/07/2022 19:38

Triple vacc day 4!

YouSoundLovely · 14/07/2022 19:43

Day 10 here and a tiny whisper of a line. Still had a strong positive on Sunday.

YouSoundLovely · 14/07/2022 19:44

(First bout of Covid, three jabs)

Piggywaspushed · 14/07/2022 19:47

Took me 4 weeks last summer OP...

CuriousCatfish · 14/07/2022 19:48

Day 5

First time with covid. Two vaccines.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 14/07/2022 22:35

Thought I had heavy hayfever symptoms and was very very tired Sat am (put tiredness down to lack of sleep due to sneezing and drippy nose throughout the night), tested positive Sun pm when I started coughing and realised it wasn't just hayfever and lack of sleep.
My work (school) says 5 days isolation and then can only return with a negative test. 5 days is up tomorrow am. I tested yday and got a strong positive. This morning a completely negative nest. Same this evening.

Karmatime · 15/07/2022 08:26

Day 9 and still positive. Just fatigue and bit of a cough on-going.

HesDeadBenYouCanStopNow · 15/07/2022 08:30

10 days until a negative. But some of the worst exhaustion came the week after I showed negative. Feeling better 3 1/2 weeks later

pepperjam · 15/07/2022 08:33

Day 13 I think

HangingOver · 15/07/2022 08:35

Day 10 for me. FYI latest research I read said that a quarter of people with new Omicron still shed virus on day 9, so I would avoid anyone vulnerable until day 10 personally. I was SO ill with it I'd hate my elderly relatives to have got what I did.

Original poster
hoping2021 · 15/07/2022 08:44

Thank you. I’m day 7 and still positive.
i agree it’s been awful, suprised how some people managed to have such minimal symptoms. I was bedridden for 4 days.

OP posts:
Penguintears · 15/07/2022 08:54

If you were testing faint positive on day 14 would you risk seeing a vulnerable person? We have this situation in my extended family and arguing going on about whether you can still be infectious after 14 days. I would have thought if you are still testing positive you're still infectious?

Piggywaspushed · 15/07/2022 09:36

DH still testing positive on Day 7 since symptoms. All of us in the house have not caught it from him thankfully. Helps that he can go outside and windows are always open atm.

This is his first time and he has a heart condition so was very worried always. His first day of symptoms was like really bad hayfever and he has been fine since (tired, bit of a cough) so thank heavens.