Do LFTs work for latest strains?

[TreeWitch]

DS2 has been unwell since last week. Started with fever & headache moving on to bad fatigue. Over the weekend he lost his sense of taste completely. Came in from school today freezing cold to touch but very clammy and saying he feels really hot.

We have done 3 lateral flows but all are negative. So I’m wondering if they work? Still in date but close to expiry (they are the throat swab ones). As I can think of no other illness where you lose your sense of taste I am thinking this is covid.

I had Covid 4 weeks ago and it worked then.

Yes they do. Currently have Covid and used old NHS tests and old orient gene tests and both positive.

They've always been bad at detecting covid. Since there are no restrictions now, it makes sense to just rest at home if you're ill, regardless of what you've got.

Yes. Just used old boxes and mine came up in about 5 seconds - yup def have Covid this time 🥴

My old ones worked, I had it last week

Mine did last week. Expiry Jan 24

Thought I’d update. DS never ended up testing positive for covid but I did (first time I’ve ever caught it despite it being in house on multiple occasions). Exact same symptoms as him in the same order so I think I was maybe not testing far enough back in his sore throat or far enough into his nostril. So to answer my own question, yes the LFTs eork if you use them properly

I've only had covid once that I know of, but it took four days to test positive, so might take a few days for some. DH tested positive on day I started feeling ill so I was fairly sure I had it.