Lateral flow tests

No I've never had the need to be tested.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

order mine online, delivered next day. have been doing them since schools went back as look after grandkids, all negative, have also had both jabs. a blood sample just before my second jab showed that as yet i had no antibodies.

I did my first this week as I felt abit below par - it was negative TG - didn’t know you had to log in a negative test with the NHS though

People are talking about false positives with the lateral flow test, I had false negatives!! I work in a care home and have had Covid twice the last time was this February so I had to stay in and isolate for 10 days, the result of my positive was from a PCR test that we have done every Monday at work. During that 10 days I did three lateral flow tests and they all came back negative, I am still doing them because I have to but I have no faith in them at all!!

Just done my first one this morning, as I am visiting DS and family this afternoon and I have been out and about this week. Must say I am a wimp as well and did both nostrils instead! Remember trying to get a throat swab once and it was horrendous, and thought never again. My test was negative. Will continue doing them now once or twice a week.

Liz46

I went to the dentist and hygienist a couple of days ago. As they would be so close to me, I did a test before I went. When I told the dentist he said that, as I had had both jabs, it was not necessary to do tests.

That's rather worrying.

From www.england.nhs.uk - FAQs for staff engaged in primary care:

Q7. Should staff members continue testing after they’ve received the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes, staff should continue to test even though they have had the vaccine.

Dentistry is primary care. If he's giving this advice to members of the public I'd be checking whether he and his staff have been vaccinated and do regular LFTs.

GrannyRose15

The longer we continue testing, the longer restrictions will be in place.
It's time to get back to normal.

I agree with GrannyRose15 but not going to elaborate as I will be crucified for having that opinion.

We have achieved our aim of protecting the vulnerable (of which I am one) as best we can with the vaccinations, we need to get on with our lives now.

We all have to do them as youngest son still at college-and did PCR test also when college had Indian variant cases discovered. All been negative but its harder to report them online, theres been problems with it.Son is supposed to report it in student portal too, but keeps forgetting.?

I haven't taken one at all. I have no symptoms so don't see the need. I am also concerned about the massive use of plastics. Is nobody else worried about this?

Top tip for the gag reflex though (from a friend who was on a survey programme), is to breathe out as you do the back of the throat. Or say Aaaaah. I'm told it helps.

58% accurate. The validity of them is certainly questionable. May as well toss a coin.

The only test I have done (PCR) was prior to hospital admission and was negative. DH tested weekly prior to retirement due to nature of his work. We have both had both vaccinations. DS also had 2 x vaccinations due to nature of work and was asked to test twice weekly until recently: not clear why it hasn't continued. All tests of both types that my family have taken have been negative.

Yes I have been doing them from when we were asked to start doing them. Everyone needs to do all that is possible to stop the spread. They are easy to get hold of, easy to do and I report mine on line. Even if not 100% accurate for whatever reason it gives some idea of what is going on.

Quote from Manhattan says staff should still test after vaccinations, no mention there of patients.

Why would you take them twice a week if you have no symptoms. The results aren’t accurate anyway
No wonder the so called cases are so high.
Stop testing and let’s all get back to normal.
We were told in April 2000 that masks are useless, but we’ve been muzzled for months and they didn’t stop the infection
If the vaccine is so effective, why are we still restricted in what we can and cannot do........... It’s all about control!!!!!

Dh and I both did a self-test yesterday morning, before meeting up with old friends we haven’t seen for ages, for lunch. Despite both having had 2nd jabs some time ago, jus a precaution.

Of course it’s not at all pleasant sticking things up your nose or to the back of your throat, but the discomfort is only momentary.

After being asked by the ONS way back in 2020, dh and I did a good many self swab tests at home, and because of a further request are now doing finger prick blood tests for antibodies, in addition to more swab tests. (Both positive for antibodies, as we were informed later.)

Honestly none of it is a big deal.

I work as a GP receptionist, all staff have to take 2 a week and report results online.

Yes I do twice a week lateral testing. I also do the PCR test if I have any cold symptoms (I’m in the Zoe COVID study and they invite you to test if you have symptoms -list of 20). Fortunately they’ve all been negative. I’ll keep testing as long as I’m required to.

Olive53
Why would you take them twice a week if you have no symptoms
Stop testing and let’s all get back to normal.

The routine testing is to detect symptomless positive cases so they can isolate and help stop the spread. There are folk walking around without realising they are positive for covid and capable of transmitting it to the vulnerable.

While that is happening we can’t get back to normal. Routine testing is essential.

Puzzler61

DH has been doing them twice weekly and is on the Imperial College research programme, but I obtained some Lateral Flow Test kits just this week to start doing them twice a week too.

We are also on the Imperial College research programme but we have been asked to do monthly antibody blood tests so I guess they have other programmes they are running.

I did get a couple of boxes of the lateral flow tests and have done a couple, both negative. My other half won't do them, he thinks as we hardly go anywhere and he feels fine that he doesn't need to!

In mid January I felt perfectly well except for a slightly runny nose. Zoe sent me a test. It came back positive. Was so shocked, I didn't tell my husband - just showed him the text. He moved out of the bedroom and into the spare room. A few days later, the cough descended. I had the virus fairly mildly but Long Covid is horrible. My husband escaped it. Suggest everyone joins the Zoe Coronavirus project.

Only once a month when I visit my sister in her nursing home.

I test myself once a week but just cannot swab the back of my mouth. I swab both nostrils and sneeze a lot!

Twice a week for work and also do my children. Have been doing every day this week & one PCR (all negative) as I was with a group of friends, one of whom has since tested positive so am in isolation for 10 days. I should add that we weren’t being irreapinsible as regards meeting (within the rules) and we are all doubly vaccinated because of work!! Just shows that it is highly transmissible as she & her immediate family are all positive. She had what she believed was a cold. Her husband has been vaccinated once and has been much more poorly. It shows though that vaccination is preventing the hospitalisations and deaths. I would advocate the regular testing!

I agree!