Lateral Flow Tests

Kim_kim

I have taken quite a few, I don’t do two a week - I’m wfh.  But I do test before anything where I will have close or prolonged contact with people.  So I don’t test to go to Tesco, but I do test before meeting friends (or the occasional trips to the office). 

I attend hospital monthly for a procedure, in the first year of covid I had to have a proper PCR tear before every visit.  But just before the summer they changed to accepting lateral flows.  That’s when I realised they should be logged/reported. Before then I didn’t realise it was even a requirement.  

PraCh

Lateral flow tests are highly inaccurate. Their accuracy was reasonable for the original virus. They are really unreliable for delta and also omicrom. Can't believe the govt still relies on them. 

Even a PCR test is not as reliable for Omicrom. Two PCR tests is what you need to get a reliable result. Lateral flow - almost completely useless reliability with Omicron now.

elsien

The New Scientist article I read in December says the LFT accuracy is about 80%, which seems reasonable to me. 

Jeremy535897

It's not that simple. The accuracy of the tests depends, in part, on the level of infections in the population. They should be reasonably accurate at present due to the high levels, although PCR tests can pick up dead virus as giving a positive result up to 90 days after infection.

norainbows

superbigal said:

I believe the cost of lateral flow tests from China are under £2 each.

Everything I have used for the pandemic has been manufactured in China. 700 million Lateral Flow Tests, this year alone!!! My workplace requires a negative LFT every single day before you even set foot on the premises. China is one of the few countries where GDP is up. I don't know why that irritates me so much, especially as all the 'blue' masks have inserts that state 'not for medical use.' 

Add to the fact that everything is plastic and we are recycling none of it. What an environmental storm we are creating for our planet. 

Sad sad times. 

binao

norainbows said:

superbigal said:

I believe the cost of lateral flow tests from China are under £2 each.

Everything I have used for the pandemic has been manufactured in China. 700 million Lateral Flow Tests, this year alone!!! My workplace requires a negative LFT every single day before you even set foot on the premises. China is one of the few countries where GDP is up. I don't know why that irritates me so much, especially as all the 'blue' masks have inserts that state 'not for medical use.' 

Add to the fact that everything is plastic and we are recycling none of it. What an environmental storm we are creating for our planet. 

Sad sad times. 

How big is your stach/stock.

My local pharmacy had 1 box delivered Christmas Eve, gone in 30 minutes.

Does no test equal stay at home.

2 pharmacys today said no stock, no news, in the dark. 
Good luck.

katejo

norainbows said:

superbigal said:

I believe the cost of lateral flow tests from China are under £2 each.

Everything I have used for the pandemic has been manufactured in China. 700 million Lateral Flow Tests, this year alone!!! My workplace requires a negative LFT every single day before you even set foot on the premises. China is one of the few countries where GDP is up. I don't know why that irritates me so much, especially as all the 'blue' masks have inserts that state 'not for medical use.' 

Add to the fact that everything is plastic and we are recycling none of it. What an environmental storm we are creating for our planet. 

Sad sad times. 

The last 3 or 4 boxes which I have received have all been products of the UK or Germany. Does your employer still require a negative lateral flow every day from staff who have had Covid and recovered/completed isolation?

briskbeats

The first couple of LFT boxes I had, there was a vial of solution which you had to tip into the dropper. Now you just peel off the foil lid on the dropper as that has the solution. That’s less plastic used. Plus the newer kits are nasal swab only. Less plastic used again as length of swab is shorter.

I was physically sick after using a LFT which required to have tonsils/throat swabbed as well as nostrils.

GingerTim

briskbeats said:

The first couple of LFT boxes I had, there was a vial of solution which you had to tip into the dropper. Now you just peel off the foil lid on the dropper as that has the solution. That’s less plastic used. Plus the newer kits are nasal swab only. Less plastic used again as length of swab is shorter.

I was physically sick after using a LFT which required to have tonsils/throat swabbed as well as nostrils.

Which is unfortunate, as swabbing your nose only provides a less accurate result than doing both throat and nose.

https://twitter.com/JennyRohn/status/1475410068019585027

lisyloo

GingerTim said:

briskbeats said:

The first couple of LFT boxes I had, there was a vial of solution which you had to tip into the dropper. Now you just peel off the foil lid on the dropper as that has the solution. That’s less plastic used. Plus the newer kits are nasal swab only. Less plastic used again as length of swab is shorter.

I was physically sick after using a LFT which required to have tonsils/throat swabbed as well as nostrils.

Which is unfortunate, as swabbing your nose only provides a less accurate result than doing both throat and nose.

https://twitter.com/JennyRohn/status/1475410068019585027

Agreed, but what can we do if the swabs aren’t long enough?