Lateral flow testing

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llahl55
llahl55 Online Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
edited July 2024 in Everyday life

Twice a week my family are taking lateral flow tests, I have 3 children all in different schools so want to keep on top of testing to keep us all safe. For the last 3 weeks I’ve had positive lateral flow tests which have all resulted in negative PCR tests. Last nights test was positive so I’m once again booked in for a PCR today. My children are having to stay home to ‘isolate’ and missing time in school (they have missed far too much time due to the pandemic) luckily the schools have all been lovely about it and understand the importance of them staying home until I get results from PCR. does anyone have a similar experience? Does anyone have any suggestions as to why this could be happening? Thanks in advance

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  • llahl55
    llahl55 Online Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    This is more to do with false negative results. I can’t find anything to do with multiple false positives. I do them as I have 3 children in school and I am a carer to one of my children so this is for reassurance for the schools and ourselves. 
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,468 Championing
    Hi @llahl55 :) Lateral flow tests aren't always accurate unfortunately, but it does seem a little odd that you'd get repeated false positives. Have you been following the instructions in the pack really carefully? 
  • llahl55
    llahl55 Online Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    Yes I do them for 5 of us twice a week and mine are the only ones coming up positive. It’s just so strange x
    Tori_Scope said:
    Hi @llahl55 :) Lateral flow tests aren't always accurate unfortunately, but it does seem a little odd that you'd get repeated false positives. Have you been following the instructions in the pack really carefully? 

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    My son d8es his twice a week as required by school never had a positive result but gas had to isolate as result of other class members being positive from the lft to then find a negative test 
  • llahl55
    llahl55 Online Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    I understand this has also happened to 2 of my children’s class mates. but 3 weeks in a row isn’t right. 5 members of the house test, and have done since March but none of them have ever had a positive. 
    I don’t mind having to test or go for the PCR but it’s affecting my children’s education as they can’t go to school.
    janer1967 said:
    My son d8es his twice a week as required by school never had a positive result but gas had to isolate as result of other class members being positive from the lft to then find a negative test 


  • llahl55
    llahl55 Online Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    Username_removed said:
    The nature of LFTs means that false positives are to be expected and one person getting consecutive false positives is exactly how random distribution/statistics work. There’s nothing odd about that at all. It would be odder if every person who had a false positive only ever had the one. Then you would suspect the stats were made up.
    The tests are supposed to pick up high levels of the virus. So one false positive I can understand but more than one doesn’t make sense if the virus isn’t present. 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    If you have more than one positive test uou have to go and have a test done at the test center I have two lateral flow tests a week had one positive had a test done at the test center and I had corona virus glad I use them as at the time I took the test I had no symptoms but did a few days later 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    Still can get after second jab if don't follow rules 
  • llahl55
    llahl55 Online Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    lisathomas50 said:
    If you have more than one positive test uou have to go and have a test done at the test center I have two lateral flow tests a week had one positive had a test done at the test center and I had corona virus glad I use them as at the time I took the test I had no symptoms but did a few days later 
    I’ve had negative PCR tests each time from th test centre 
  • llahl55
    llahl55 Online Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    lisathomas50 said:
    Still can get after second jab if don't follow rules 
    I do follow the rules. I barely leave my house. I’m a stay at home mum and carer for my son. I’m extremely careful when I’m out 
  • gaz1960
    gaz1960 Online Community Member Posts: 292 Empowering
    Picked up two boxes of lateral  flow tests from doctors surgery today,one for me, and one for my Son who lives with me. His for daily testing for work, mine,if case he brings the dreaded lurgy back here,and he's already had first jab! 

    Ive had covid,dont want it again! 

    We both test every day! 



  • dr3527
    dr3527 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
    I cannot tell if positive or negative what do you think? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    unlike PCR tests, lateral flow tests cannot detect very low levels of coronavirus in a sample. This means the test may not give a positive result if you have only recently been infected; are in the incubation period; or if you have mostly recovered.
    If you have symptoms of Covid then you should get a PCR test.


  • Emily54636072
    Emily54636072 Online Community Member Posts: 84 Contributor
    I get tested weekly 

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