Lateral Flow Tests

[BigJohnsPens]

None available anywhere…….

 

[Heine_Otto]

None available anywhere…….

One way for the government to keep the numbers down I suppose.

 

[Stocko]

I wouldn’t worry, I’m sure there was a thread on here saying they were next to useless, I think that was also the government’s fault.

 

[chickenrunner]

None available anywhere…….

Had some delivered by post the other day (none at any pharmacies). Apparently there's no shortage of them just a shortage of delivery drivers who've all got COVID, what a surprise.

 

[Kosovo]

Was told by a nurse (family member) that older lft don’t detect Omicron. Lots of people with symptoms getting negative results only to test positive after pcr test.

 

[asredastheycome]

Just booked some to be delivered. Went through first time, strange for government websites.

 

[fmttmadmin]

Was told by a nurse (family member) that older lft don’t detect Omicron. Lots of people with symptoms getting negative results only to test positive after pcr test.

Older kits will be out of date in any case - as clearly labelled.
They are really useful I think. They protect residents in care homes for instance. I have been using them regularly ever since you were allowed to return to visit care homes last spring.
Tested positive with a lateral flow so it worked. Got a PCR booked a mile away from my house - handy.
But the whole system will fall down if we cannot replenish lateral flows and PCRs.

 

[newusername]

Was told by a nurse (family member) that older lft don’t detect Omicron. Lots of people with symptoms getting negative results only to test positive after pcr test.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1042367/technical_briefing-31-10-december-2021.pdf

 

[Andy_W]

Was told by a nurse (family member) that older lft don’t detect Omicron. Lots of people with symptoms getting negative results only to test positive after pcr test.

She's wrong (or employer/ guidance/ manufacturers say she's wrong), but like mentioned above by Rob, old LFT's do have a lifespan, so probably should not be relied upon if out of date, unless used as a precautionary measure in a last resort scenario (ie if you have to go somewhere and have no other option).

Current guidance effectively states:

LFT's (in date) are designed to be used by people who do not have symptoms, as a general precautionary measure. Effectively they're there to pick up transmissibility, largely in the the asymptomatic who would later develop/ not develop symptoms.

If people have symptoms but they're in doubt, then they should get a PCR as it's a better test with a wider range.

Of course people can do something in-between, but it's down to circumstances, reasons for doing so, like below:

If people have symptoms, think they likely have it, and choose to isolate then they can use LFT's as a confirmatory measure over a couple of days (this is what I did, to avoid taking up a PCR slot from someone in doubt), but if they test positive they should report it online. If I had tested negative I would have got a PCR, but I wouldn't have relied upon a LFT negative with symptoms, and gone about my business (as guidance doesn't back this up).

 

[goalscrounger]

Was told by a nurse (family member) that older lft don’t detect Omicron. Lots of people with symptoms getting negative results only to test positive after pcr test.

That's definitely not true.

 

[breakthewallsdown]

Finally got booked for a PCR tomorrow after testing positive Friday

 

[zzzzz]

Still no Lateral Flow Test Kits available for delivery.
Utter f+&%^$ shambles
How can they get it so wrong time and again?

 

[Warwickboro]

Its not a big deal, supply will be back to normal soon enough, if you dont

Still no Lateral Flow Test Kits available for delivery.
Utter f+&%^$ shambles
How can they get it so wrong time and again?

 

[Warwickboro]

I don't understand why people are so up in arms, as a country we go though more of these tests per head then anywhere in Europe, of all the government balls ups this is very low on the list. We test 1.5 million people per day which is astronomical. If asymptomatic people weren't using them every day (not their fault i agree) then this wouldn't have happened. Isolating with no symptoms is also causing a huge problem as people are needing to test in drives at day 7 now. It may be time to stop testing asymptomatic people, school kids to preserve these tests as what concerns me more is; how much is this all costing??

 

[zzzzz]

Its not a big deal, supply will be back to normal soon enough, if you dont

Yes it is a big deal.
They're supposed to be a safeguard to rest without symptoms
For example I'm going to visit my elderly Mam so want to test before I go which is exactly what they're designed for.

 

[the_holgate_roof]

So I have been rough for about 4 days, still rough now but have returned 3 negative LFTs, so am I good to go or not, it could be a heavy cold??

 

[fmttmadmin]

She's wrong (or employer/ guidance/ manufacturers say she's wrong), but like mentioned above by Rob, old LFT's do have a lifespan, so probably should not be relied upon if out of date, unless used as a precautionary measure in a last resort scenario (ie if you have to go somewhere and have no other option).

Current guidance effectively states:

LFT's (in date) are designed to be used by people who do not have symptoms, as a general precautionary measure. Effectively they're there to pick up transmissibility, largely in the the asymptomatic who would later develop/ not develop symptoms.

If people have symptoms but they're in doubt, then they should get a PCR as it's a better test with a wider range.

Of course people can do something in-between, but it's down to circumstances, reasons for doing so, like below:

If people have symptoms, think they likely have it, and choose to isolate then they can use LFT's as a confirmatory measure over a couple of days (this is what I did, to avoid taking up a PCR slot from someone in doubt), but if they test positive they should report it online. If I had tested negative I would have got a PCR, but I wouldn't have relied upon a LFT negative with symptoms, and gone about my business (as guidance doesn't back this up).

Lateral Flows do pick different variants.
If you test positive then you are supposed to book a PCR test within 48 hrs. Am lucky to live so close to a drive in centre. There was availability there any time slot I wanted the next day.

 

[tonybiriyani]

I don't understand why people are so up in arms, as a country we go though more of these tests per head then anywhere in Europe, of all the government balls ups this is very low on the list. We test 1.5 million people per day which is astronomical. If asymptomatic people weren't using them every day (not their fault i agree) then this wouldn't have happened. Isolating with no symptoms is also causing a huge problem as people are needing to test in drives at day 7 now. It may be time to stop testing asymptomatic people, school kids to preserve these tests as what concerns me more is; how much is this all costing??

The whole idea was to keep testing asymptomatic people with lft's to stop the spread and keep the economy open.

 

[tonybiriyani]

So I have been rough for about 4 days, still rough now but have returned 3 negative LFTs, so am I good to go or not, it could be a heavy cold??

If you have symptoms you should get a pcr

 

[fmttmadmin]

So I have been rough for about 4 days, still rough now but have returned 3 negative LFTs, so am I good to go or not, it could be a heavy cold??

I would just be careful and mask up and stay away from anyone that may be vulnerable. If you have symptoms, as you say, then you could set your mind at rest and book to go to a PCR drive in test centre. In Teesside the centres all have plenty of availability. But you could just keep taking lateral flows.