Results from lateral flow tests.

These are the ones we have been receiving for the last month, both from local pharmacy and by post.

The Christmas Lectures on BBC were brilliant. Viruses and all we wanted to know about them!

They explained the difference between the two tests and why we should not to totally trust the lateral flow ones particularly if we have been in the company of some who has then had a +ive PCR test. Also explained why it takes longer to process the PCR tests.

In December my daughter was with someone for a couple of hours. The next day that person rang her to say she had symptoms and was going for a PCR test. It turned out to be +ive. DD rang for advice the day the person rang and was told to do a PCR and was booked in. Result was -ive but she had to still isolate for the incubation period (10 days) and keep doing lateral flow tests.

My boxes have all been blue, the last two (ordered through the NHS site) had a return label with an Edinburgh address. Ironically, though every stockist had run out in my area, I understand Mark Drakeford has offered to lend 4 million kits to England, hence having to go through the website. The leaflets with all of them I have used showed how to use them on nose and throat. Oh, I received my last pack on Friday of last week.

Perhaps this illustration might be useful.

Marydoll:

'We have friends, who have never done them'

Ignorance is bliss - to some. I was shocked when a relative didn't know what I was talking about with the tests.

It turns out that she got some, doesn't want to think about it - and put them away in a cupboard in case she needs them!

My son has PCR tests weekly - as his job demands it.

My daughter (NHS) also told me to do both throat and nose although like everyone else I gag as soon as it touches my tonsil but sooner that than test negative when I m really positive
I have always been told to go for the PCR if you think you ve been in the company of someone with it as the lateral flow are not as accurate so that’s what I ve done

I too gag with my LF throat swabbing. I'm hoping that the kit I ordered recently will be nose only. It should be waiting for me when I return home later this week.

As someone who dislikes waste I used upmy remaining long throat swabs just in the nose. It worked and I got a negative result . Phew!

I’m hopeless at the throat ones. Gag so much I’m not confident I’m doing it properly .When I had my nhs PCR one I opted to have them do it for me and they were very kind.

Marydoll

These are the ones we used to receive. Recent ones are nostril only.

As are the ones in my photo !

If you read the instructions it is very easy to determine which type of kit you have got.

The ones we’ve had for the past few months have been nostril only. But they do all say 10 times each nostril - 5 times each side, then repeat.

LadyWee

The message has been mixed up somewhere
Lateral flows are for when you do not have symptoms
PCR is when you do
Always been like that but government have made it confusing to many

Not so.
There are obviously different types of LTF out there and, you should simply check the leaflet in your box. Mine quite clearly says “suitable for those with or without symptoms”
(Flowflex, like Lucca ‘s)

So do we, as I'm immunocompromised. DH and least twice a week and sometimes daily if I have/had medical appointments.

We have friends, who have never done them, despite socialising frequently. I can't understand why.

Marydoll, same here, we get through a lot, testing twice-weekly. I should think that swabbing the throat as well could give more accurate results, though.

My blue LFT booklet says;

This Covid-19 self test kit is a swab test for the nose to check if you are infectious. It’s for people who have symptoms as well as those with no symptoms. However you should follow national guidelines to check what type of test is right for you.

A relative who had cold like symptoms just before Christmas rang his GP surgery for advice. They said he must do a PCR test. His completed test did not get sent away until the Wednesday after Christmas, think his ‘negative’ result came back about two days later.

To me, he might just have well have done daily LFT tests. If the PCR result had been positive, he would nearly have been out of isolation by the time he found out.

These are the ones we used to receive. Recent ones are nostril only.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-130400-313be40b-37b4-476c-853e-53ec596e7fc0.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-212065-bbdff5e6-c759-45c2-b31f-7ad1deaaf576.jpeg

Aldom

Lucca

Lat flow are all just nostril aren’t they ?

The instructions with my LF kits clearly describe swabbing first the throat, followed by the nose.

Not mine !

Any symptoms - at all - mean a PCR test is needed, as they're more sensitive and more accurate.

I do wonder if people test correctly, though. Everyone really should watch the videos (I didn't know about blowing the nose first):

www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-self-test-help#videos-how-to-do-a-rapid-test

I just had to spit in a container and add some fluid they provided for mine You can’t get them now, all sold out.

All the ones we have been receiving in Scotland recently have been nostril only.
In the past the boxes were blue, but the nostril only ones are green.

Lucca

Lat flow are all just nostril aren’t they ?

The instructions with my LF kits clearly describe swabbing first the throat, followed by the nose.

Lucca

Lat flow are all just nostril aren’t they ?

They weren’t at first. I began doing LFT's as soon as the government advised it and received several boxes that were nose and throat. More recently, they’ve all been nostril only. I’m in England.

Lat flow are all just nostril aren’t they ?