[Harryg]

Anyone on the forum tested positive with these tests, looking for some advice.

[robbiep]

Nope - I do 3 tests a week with working in the NHS, not had a positive result as yet.

If you want advice as to your next step then I'd suggest looking at the NHS site or your employer's policies and seeing what it says.
If I get a positive test then the Trust policy is for me to NOT go into work, to phone up and book a PCR test as soon as the centre opens in the morning, the test to be done ASAP (usually by 10am, going from those I've known about that have had to get one done)
Then it's isolate until the result comes in - which may either be towards the end of same day or the following morning.

[Harryg]

Originally Posted by robbiep

Nope - I do 3 tests a week with working in the NHS, not had a positive result as yet.

If you want advice as to your next step then I'd suggest looking at the NHS site or your employer's policies and seeing what it says.
If I get a positive test then the Trust policy is for me to NOT go into work, to phone up and book a PCR test as soon as the centre opens in the morning, the test to be done ASAP (usually by 10am, going from those I've known about that have had to get one done)
Then it's isolate until the result comes in - which may either be towards the end of same day or the following morning.

Thanks for the reply and I did that but it is vague to say the least.
A little background, my wife looks after grandchildren their mum works in a hospital and she gets checked 3 times a week so the grandchild had a temp and a cough used a LFT and she is positive daughter checks and she is positive so my son checks he is positive. I get the kits and my wife is positive.
Daughter informs hospital and is checked properly and is positive. I do the checks wife poss me negative. We book pcr tests Granddaughter Poss also son.Wifes comes back neg. So I check again with the LFT for my wife and it is poss. I phone the helpline and explain so I am told not to take no notice of the LFT if I have had the PCR test as the later is the proper test, I ask should I self isolate yes you must and keep checking with the LFT so I ask whats the point as she has tested poss again so he books another PCR test which has been completed so they say isolate for 10 days if no symptoms everything is fine but keep checking with the LFT its like confused .com so what would you do.
Sorry for the long winded post

[isleaiw1]

Lateral flow tests are a decent quick indicator but not as accurate so if you get a positive with LF then get a PCR test and act according to the results of that one....

[Harryg]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Lateral flow tests are a decent quick indicator but not as accurate so if you get a positive with LF then get a PCR test and act according to the results of that one....

Thanks for the info, Just got the second PCR test back for the BH and it is negative asked to do a LFT again and this shows positive for her neg for me. I put the results into the NHS database and within seconds I get a text and email as does my wife saying we must self isolate for ten days and I must book an app for a PCR test assap well just had one yesterday it seems as though it is fully automated and throws the answers out so 119 helpline wants to book another PCR even though we have had Two inside a week. Wife has headaches and temp sore throat etc and of course is worried so it seems like a complete circle that you cannot break free from going to leave it until monday and see how she feels, daughter lost all sense of smell,taste and coughing son much the same where does it end.

[PeakyJ]

I work in a school setting and we do these twice a week, all staff and most of the students. We have had no positive results on the lateral flow tests so far.

[x-m4n]

Originally Posted by Harryg

Wife has headaches and temp sore throat etc and of course is worried so it seems like a complete circle that you cannot break free from going to leave it until monday and see how she feels, daughter lost all sense of smell,taste and coughing son much the same where does it end.

So weird, synthoms seem to be there so I would proceed on the assumption that you are positive. For now I would stay home and take precautions, hope you all recover soon...

[Harryg]

Originally Posted by x-m4n

So weird, synthoms seem to be there so I would proceed on the assumption that you are positive. For now I would stay home and take precautions, hope you all recover soon...

Cheers for the input and yes stay at home is the thing until we both show neg results and now going to test every Four days otherwise we would never be away from the test centres.

[DougMcL]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...cathing-review

I'm all at a loss now with lateral flow tests...

[Harryg]

Originally Posted by DougMcL

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...cathing-review

I'm all at a loss now with lateral flow tests...

Well I am totally at a loss however they have detected all in my household son daughter 2 grandchildren and lastly my wife all poss on the PCR test and LFT apart from my wife who is neg on PCR. These LFT are made in China could that make a difference.

[Harryg]

Originally Posted by B58_f32

They are cheap Chinese goods and inaccurate. China have benefitted massively from this pandemic. Mask manufactured their sold across the world, Cheap untrustworthy test.

A family member tested negative on the lateral flow, but positive on a PCR test. Also will these Lateral flow test pick up the new East End variant that will appear on June 20th to delay freedom day.

Good point but they have picked up Four out of five in my family its not the tests its what follows them. We have got to have some belief in something but I think these tests just put the marker out for the PCR tests and are they really any different.

[PeakyJ]

Apparently they do usually pick up the cases with a high viral load which could potentially be super spreaders. Provided the test is actually done properly that is.

[CajunBMW]

In general the LFT tests are point of care tests designed for a rapid diagnosis of moderate to high viral loads. They are less sensitive than PCR tests and work by a different process. LFTs work by detecting viral antigens or viral proteins. The manner is similar to the various pregnancy tests that detect protein hormones. The problems with these tests is not the test per se but the companies that manufacture them and the sample collection.

So there are quality LFTs and crappy LFTs. The better ones have a good sensitivity and a low error rate. The crappy ones would show the opposite outcome.

The sample collection is also important. People with experience doing these sort of test can get a very good outcome; those without or with less experience often don't collect the samples correctly and thus have a low chance of success.

PCR is a much more sensitive assay because it amplifies the signal but it take longer to process and run. Sample collection is also important for successful PCR tests.

Will good LFTs and PCR detect the various variants (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, etc.)? The answer is usually yes so that should not be a concern. We use mostly PCR based assays and have seen, detected, sequenced and identified most variants and have had no issues that we have observed.

Either scenario is possible. I suppose the most common would be a negative on LFT and a positive on a PCR test. But the opposite is possible if sample collection was compromised.

The link to the crappy kit is a good example of the variability of some of the kits and why it is important to know the kit. We use the Abbott kit.

Hope that helps. Cheers.

[Harryg]

I think one of the problems is the way we test and the duration between the LFT,s as my wife has had 3 Poss and then 3Neg PCR,s once you test poss with the LFT tou are immediately contacted to book a PCR. So the best way is not to test until you have to. As we were in close contact with someone who has Covid we will self isolate for the 10 day period then on the 9th day we will take the LTF and see what happens and then record the results if all neg fine out we go after day 10.
I am even going to use my test kit on my wife and I will use hers to see if their any differences.