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Lateral Flow Tests

I have read that in the first 6 months of this year - over 700 million lateral flow tests were given out / posted to UK residents - yet only 70 million results were obtained
ie 10% or 90% were not completed / wasted
What does each test pack cost ? £10+ - what a ridiculous waste of money and resources (£6 billion +)
Can someone who has had a test pack and not used it - explain why ?

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Comments

  • Could be a number of things, not everyone reports their result online, could be businesses got sent loads by the govt and they decided against asking staff to take them etc.
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  • ZaSa1418 said:
    Could be a number of things, not everyone reports their result online, could be businesses got sent loads by the govt and they decided against asking staff to take them etc.

    Yes - but not 90% wasted
  • lucinad
    lucinad Posts: 5,327 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    My daughters and I test 2 times weekly, I've only ever reported my positive result. The negative results I don't report....I know you are supposed to, but they are not being wasted we use them regularly as requested, and it flagged my positive result, which I reported and got a PCR test too.
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  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I know a couple who frequently test themselves and don't report the negative results. 
  • Most of my friends didn’t realise that you are supposed to report the negative results as well as the positive, but they still use them once or twice a week and if they tested positive would report and self-isolate - so it is not a waste of money. 
  • tooldle
    tooldle Posts: 1,602 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 15 September 2021 at 7:39AM
    I only report negative results if it is my day to visit mum's care home. The rest of the time i don't bother. (Edited to add I work from home. If i were going to the workplace i would report a negative). We have a pack of LFT's sat in the cupboard, in case of symptoms.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 15 September 2021 at 8:17AM
    This sounds as if you regularly get infected - and decide whether or not to report it as a last minute decision!!
    How many infections have you reported? 
  • I have done 5-6 LFTs a week for months now, I report them as it is useful for work. My mum is retired, she takes 2-4 a week but has never reported any as she has never needed to show proof of a negative test, however she takes the test to lower any risk of passing on an asymptotic infection. My sister takes a few a week but probably only reports half. In a friend's office they are required to test every morning on arrival (around 120 people), they only ever report positive tests. 

    There will also be people who have a couple of packs sat in the cupboard for if they get symptoms or need one for an event. 

    They are not "wasted" just because someone does not report online.
  • I believe the cost of lateral flow tests from China are under £2 each.
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