✅ People in areas of southern England have reported testing positive for Covid-19 with lateral flow tests
❌ ...and then negative in subsequent PCR tests
One scientist said the phenomenon needed to be looked into "seriously and rapidly".
Thread. ⬇️
inews.co.uk/news/covid-lat…
❌ ...and then negative in subsequent PCR tests
One scientist said the phenomenon needed to be looked into "seriously and rapidly".
Thread. ⬇️
inews.co.uk/news/covid-lat…
Yesterday @theipaper reported how a "high number" of people in the South West have reported the phenomenon.
Public Health England said it is investigating, having not experienced people testing positive on lateral flows and then negative on PCRs on such a scale before.
Public Health England said it is investigating, having not experienced people testing positive on lateral flows and then negative on PCRs on such a scale before.
Since, dozens of people have now contacted @theipaper with stories of it happening to them, with scores more claiming the same on social media.
Many reports have been from Bath, Bristol and Swindon. ⬇️
inews.co.uk/news/scores-mo…
Many reports have been from Bath, Bristol and Swindon. ⬇️
inews.co.uk/news/scores-mo…
💬 Emma Pickard, from Bath: "I have Covid now, all the classic symptoms... I have done six lateral flow tests, all positive.
"I've also taken two PCR tests during the period that the lateral flows have been positive, and both have come back negative."
"I've also taken two PCR tests during the period that the lateral flows have been positive, and both have come back negative."
❓ What could be behind the phenomenon?
Kit Yates, a mathematical biologist and a member of @IndependentSage, suggested explanations could vary from a faulty batch of lateral flow tests to a possibility of a new variant not being picked up by PCR tests.
inews.co.uk/news/covid-lat…
Kit Yates, a mathematical biologist and a member of @IndependentSage, suggested explanations could vary from a faulty batch of lateral flow tests to a possibility of a new variant not being picked up by PCR tests.
inews.co.uk/news/covid-lat…
❓ Wait, what is a lateral flow test? And how accurate are they?
There are two main ways of measuring the accuracy of tests – sensitivity and specificity.
Here is an explainer. ⬇️
inews.co.uk/news/health/fa…
There are two main ways of measuring the accuracy of tests – sensitivity and specificity.
Here is an explainer. ⬇️
inews.co.uk/news/health/fa…
❓ So, what now?
Public Health England said it was "looking into the cause".
It said there was no evidence of technical issues with lateral flow tests or PCR test kits in relation to these reports and no evidence of any emergence of new variants.
inews.co.uk/news/scores-mo…
Public Health England said it was "looking into the cause".
It said there was no evidence of technical issues with lateral flow tests or PCR test kits in relation to these reports and no evidence of any emergence of new variants.
inews.co.uk/news/scores-mo…
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