LATERAL flow tests are a quick and easy way to find out if you have Covid. Some NHS tests supplied by the school The Wife works at are nose and throat. Think I read about cross reactivity with other coronaviruses potentially giving false positives on LFT. Im back to taking pain medication most days now and wearing wrist/ knee supports. When I say 'during the 30 minute window', I mean that the line does not immediately develop when I do the test - it usually starts to show at about 15 minutes or so. The White House said each household could order up to four lateral flow tests for free, paying for the testing with "funding left over from the American Rescue Plan, the Covid relief bill that. What are the chances Im positive? "The best advice is if you have symptoms is to simply stay at home until you are better, and that way you will avoid spreading Covid, flu and a host of other viral infections. Dr Hudson-Peacock noted that if the faintly positive line appears after the time window, the most likely cause is either that there has been some contamination (e.g. No conclusive link can be drawn between this and antibodies relating to RA. 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To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. Yeah I know, the result is supposed to be invalid after 30mins, but I never had a line appear after a test even on old tests several days old. Cheeky monkies eh?! I tried that but still delivers a false positive. About two or three weeks later she got a clear positive result and correspondingly positive PCR result I have no idea if the two were linked. But a small study published in the past week, and based on different kits used in the US, raised fresh concerns - finding that some Omicron cases could be infectious for several days before being detected by rapid tests using nasal swabs. 45 mins later and the second LFT is completely clear, maybe Ive already scraped all the covid particles out of my nose on the previous tests, Hopefully will get the PCR result tomorrow. This can be due to non-specific binding and will vary from test to test. Nathan explained that the appearance of the line may have been caused by very weak contaminant, such as food or drinks. However, if a line appears *after* the interpretation window then this does NOT count as a positive test. Im hoping theyre very rare but not unheard of. A positive lateral flow test no matter how faint must be treated as a definite Covid-19 case as the home testing kits are very reliable a Queens University virologist has said. I'm not sure how regularly these tests are being done among shielding groups. The false positives had exclusively come from NHS lateral flow tests provided by Xiamen Biotime Biotechnology. Not sure how useful this is but definitely something that needs to be looked into overall. My GP and Rheum Nurse dont know why this is happening either. The thought of having to isolate because of a false positive lateral flow test and not see my parents (as you can imagine it has been a long time since I have been able to see them) really got to me. That's such a pain! SiL also had faint LFT and then negative PCR next day. Just checking youre not eating or drinking beforehand? I had a faint line LFT on Christmas Day, redid it again faint line tried for a third time but did it like a pcr throat then nose and it lit up like a traffic light. Virology at St Thomas' hospital said it is a phenomenon they know about but don't yet know why. As I'm retired and live on my own - I have virtually self-isolated, so have had no need to take a lateral flow test. If it was a drugs test in prison it would a positive. It's the closest I have got to some kind of acknowledgement so far! The 2 very faint positives I got on sainsburys test have disappeared. It is a shame that the government is not publicizing the true accuracy of the flow flow test , causing this kind of agony for the public and is only interested in making money out of the public misery . Whenever you do a test, set a timer forthe waiting time specified in the test kit instructions.. A negative lateral flow covid test (Image: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images) "If the faintly positive line appears after the time window, the most likely cause is either that there has been some . @poly, yes, that was the response I expected on here really, and maybe youre right. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. . They tested the five lateral flow devices used in the UK against Omicron and the older strain of coronavirus. What does a faint line on my lateral flow test mean? Hope you feel ok, but Im with the +ve crew. You can WhatsApp us on 07423 720 250. Hi Soph, I have heard that pharmacies still have the Xiamen ones. The medic wrote: "If the faintly positive line appears after the time window, the most likely cause is either that there has been some contamination (e.g. I do loads of LFT for work. Whether the faint line on your lateral flow test means you have tested positive for Covid-19 or not is all down to timing. My husband said Linx Africa is also a favourite for year nines! What does a faint line mean on a lateral flow test? For example, some tests require you to do both a mouth and nose swab - while some just require a nose swab. If the second PCR . Get a pcr done asap. NHS rules state that if you test positive your isolation period begins on the day that your symptoms developed or the day that you took the test if you don't have symptoms, and ends 10 days later. His PCR came back negative too! storage, sharing and use of this information for thepurpose of managing your registration as described I did the tests without food or drink influence. The last three packets have been FlowFlex and I have only had one false positive, which is much better than my 100% track record with the Xiamen ones! If so, that is a negative test because the test can only be read 30 mins after you put the drops on the cassette. Use code HELLO54 when you join us as a print or digital member and your membership will be half price for the first year. Lateral flow antigen testing detects the presence of the COVID-19 viral antigen from a swab sample. SUPER faint positive line on lateral flow test. Privacy Policy. My GP wrote to the immunology department at St Thomas's with my dilemma and I will report back any findings. "I saw my best friend over Christmas and her son had tested positive, so I thought I should just check.". I was feeling a bit off and . Mumsnet carries some affiliate marketing links, so if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale (more details here). For many of us, taking a lateral flow test is part of our routine. Health authorities budgeted 4.7bn this financial year for mass testing in England with the bulk of that going to suppliers of the kits - most of which are manufactured in China. I'm a GP and here's the mistakes so many parents make when it comes to chickenpox, Im Carrie Underwoods PT and here's how her secrets can boost your weight loss too, Ease anxiety in minutes with the 54321 mindfulness hack. Treat as +ve get a PCR done. . I also did another lateral flow test yesterday just out of interest an again it was positive so somethings going on. It's so naughty and a real step up from when I was little and we used to do the old thermometer on a hot water bottle trick (which my Mum never fell for!). Hailing runs Sparkle Nails & Beauty in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. A link has been emailed to you - check your inbox. Last month the Omicron variant overtook Delta and became the most dominant strain in both London and England, causing many of us to scramble for Covid tests ahead of the festive season. When I had Covid the LFT tests showed negative, that was on days where I felt ill, following a positive PCR test. The cold was what was worrying me as I really didn't want to pass Covid19 on if the PCR was wrong. Now my wife is positive but our other daughter and myself still negative on both LFTs and PCRs. The lft are comparatively inaccurate and significantly less sensitive to actual infection than a PCR (especially in the early stages). A faint line is to be treated as a line. The latest nasal only LFT test kits have been shown to be less sensitive than the older nasal and throat tests. Regular testing is key in the face of Omicron, especially as it's been proven that the virus is milder - and therefore, could be mistaken for cold and flu like symptoms. My Dr has never heard of this either but it going to write to the virology department at St Thomas' hospital to flag is as an issue. I'm still negative on LFTs, and symptomless, so far. However, if the "positive" line is very faint and appears after a certain amount of time, it could actually mean you are not infected, a doctor has said. Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked. However, you should also be aware that if any line, however faint, appears next to the T on the lateral flow test before the end of the half-hour window, that this is a positive test and you must self-isolate and book a PCR test., To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web x. Hi Melissa - it is a frustration - as I know someone who had to fly out urgently on a business trip - the morning of the flight got this false positive and he was fully vaccinated - did contract covid post vacinne - had to spend over 500 as had to do another test at another company that came back fine - able to board the flight! food or drink, or some other weak contaminant), or there are just very. Scientists say the lesson is - if possible - to test just before you socialise and think of a negative lateral flow as a solid guide rather than something that can ever rule out a Covid infection. According to the government's . Our kits say ignore anything after XX mins (cant recall what XX is).