"Result lines may appear smudged or faint, but they are still valid results and must be reported," the government website says. According to the government's official guidance, two lines, "even faint lines, shows the test is positive". Around 4.9 million people in the UK are believed to have had Covid-19 in the week ending March 26 - this is up from 4.3 million in the previous week, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Testing instructions say you need to check your results within 30 minutes. Jason Manford proudly wears a map of Manchester suit on ITV Starstruck and reveals sweet reason why, The comedian and West End star has been applauded for his wardrobe choices, 'This is uncanny' - Starstruck fans gobsmacked by Ed Sheeran's 'twin' but others distracted by major detail, One viewer remarked "OMG Ed?" No one feels ill with any symptoms at all but adults are vaccinated. Credit: John Cameron on Unsplash. Health chiefs have insisted the rapid kits, which give results in as little as 15 minutes . When reading lateral flow test results, two lines through both the C and T, even faint lines, indicate the test is positive, says a Public Health England spokesperson. There is a small well at the bottom of the device with the letter "S" next to it. This has meant many people taking lateral flow tests, maybe after being 'pinged', and some have been confused by what a faint line means on the home testing kit. Add message Share Report Bookmark New rules around those who test positive for the virus has seen the isolation period cut from 10 days to seven but only if you test negative on day six and day seven using a LFT. "Following discussions with the health protection hub, it was decided that as a precaution, all close contacts of the student would be sent home to isolate immediately, as the matter was looked into further.". In a letter to parents on Friday she said: "This morning, a lateral flow test a student carried out came back with a very faint second grey line and did not indicate clearly whether it was a positive test or not. Dr Bamford said LFTs tell who is most likely to be contagious and infectious and are a great tool in the fight against Covid as they are so easy to use. Headteacher Krissi Carter said the decision to self-isolate the group of students was a precautionary move that was agreed with the local public health authorities. Boris Johnson 's government ended all social restrictions in England on 24 February and followed that by scrapping the provision of free lateral flow tests (LFTs) on 1 April as part of its. A faint line could mean you've collected less virus this time around. "Positive lateral flow test results can show an extremely faint band, which some people might incorrectly . You should also be careful if you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, regardless of any line. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. "Inexplicably and shockingly he was shot having ordered a pizza, it is unspeakable". The intensity of the test line does tend to match the concentration of viral proteins that are present in the sample. A faint, slow-to-appear line could still represent high levels of virus, meaning that if you can see any line at all, you are still highly likely to be infectious. Unlike with PCR tests, there's no amplification step, so if you have really low levels of virus in your system the test is more likely to miss it. He suggested to social distance, hand wash and wear your mask and continue testing with LFTs as per NHS guidance. For instance, you might also experience fever, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue . He also mentioned NHS guidance, which states anyone with symptoms should isolate and book a PCR test, regardless of a lateral flow result. Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article. Something went wrong, please try again later. Some people have reported a faint line next to the T, and have taken to social media to share their confusion as to whether or not it means they have tested positive. 1. Faint lines can be confusing to interpret - but what do they really mean? Lateral flow tests are available from around 2 or less for single tests from many high street retailers in England. Some people continue to test positive on lateral flow tests for several weeks after developing symptoms. Rather than using a home test to decide when it is safe to socialise again, people should also look at how long they've been experiencing symptoms for, whether those symptoms are improving, and if they've also been free of fever for at least 24 hours. Can Covid stop you sleeping properly and what can you do to prevent this? And does a bold line mean you are more infected than others? By following the instructions on the leaflet, most people should get a clear test result. Many people across the UK will have been testing themselves for Covid-19 as they return to work or school following Christmas and New Year. It adds: Result lines may appear smudged or faint, but they are still valid results and must be reported.. Does a faint line on a COVID-19 test mean Im no longer infectious? According to latest Government guidance, PCR tests should not be routinely booked by those who test positive on a lateral flow device. Advice: Queens University virologist Dr Connor Bamford. So, if you do get a faint line, the bad news is that you do still have coronavirus - but you must still report it and you are advised to act accordingly. I took it online and made 25k', Jasmine Shum turned to Instagram after she was banned from selling her creations in the playground. More than 100 secondary school pupils at a Shropshire school have been told they no longer need to self-isolate after a previously "inconclusive" test result returned negative. A line next to "C" means the test has worked as intended with "C" standing for control. Dr Nathan Hudson-Peacock, an A&E doctor from London took to Instagram to issue some guidance to help people understand what a faint line can mean, MyLondon reports. 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And while concerns about catching the virus saw people reduce social contact in the run-up the the festive period, a lot of people were out and about mixing with family and friends over the holidays. The Government says that two lines on the test kit, one next to the C and one next to the T means that the test is positive. However, if you can see any line at all, you are very likely to be infectious and should take steps to protect others. A spokesman said: "All Year 7s who were asked to self-isolate do not need to anymore and can return to school on Monday. Most of us will have wiped swabs inside our nostrils and. He reassured his followers and said that if this line appears after the 30 minute window, then it does not count as a positive test. The latest data from Public Health England showed the rate of positive tests had risen by almost two thirds in the Liverpool City Region . A faint positive lateral flow test result is shown in the image above Credit: Sun Online. If you get a line on your test, even if it is very faint, it means the result is positive and the person taking the test has contracted Covid-19. Ander Herrera said he was going through the most difficult period in his career in an emotional Instagram post. Abingdon Health, a British company that makes lateral flow tests, says "the density of the line will vary depending on the quantity of . So, a dark line will usually indicate a high level of virus, and tend to be seen when people are at or near peak levels of virus within their bodies. While it is common knowledge that thick red lines on both the C and T section of a test means a positive result, what does it mean if there is a line so faint you can hardly see it. If these viral proteins are present, this will show up as a coloured line in addition to the control line that indicates that the test has been completed properly. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Some lines across the T section, which indicates if you have coronavirus or not, come back so faint you can barely see them, while others are even bigger and bolder than the line above it. "We need to assume that if there's a . As part of the Executives efforts to reduce the transmission of the Omicron variant, the public has been encouraged to take an LFT, otherwise known as a rapid antigen test, before leaving home. The cohort of pupils were sent home from the school on Audley Avenue and told to self-isolate yesterday after one girl's lateral flow test returned an unclear result. Although lateral flow tests are no longer free in England, people may want to continue using them if they have symptoms of Covid-19. Many people will have taken a test for the first time over the past week, interpreting the lateral flow test results can be confusing for some. Something went wrong, please try again later. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Do not sell or share my personal information. "Therefore, the most sensible next step, in my opinion, is not to isolate unnecessarily and not to book a PCR (makes it harder for people who genuinely need them to get one), but to be extra careful with precautions (social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing), and to continue testing with [lateral flow tests] as per NHS guidance.". 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The picture above is my positive LFT from this morning, and I have confirmed Covid. awaiting PCR results To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. "On checking, we also found it to be a slightly smaller cartridge than all of the others that had been used, even though it was included in the same batch and was of the same product type. Lateral flow tests (LFTs) became a slightly uncomfortable but necessary part of our lives since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is now possible to end self-isolation . Fully vaccinated close contacts must also test themselves every day during that period. Instead, you should complete another LFT and isolate immediately if it produces another positive result. still infected? This is 30 minutes for most lateral flows, but it is worth checking the leaflet in the test packet to make sure. As a result of the increase in demand for LFTs, there is a shortage of the home testing kits and a lack of available slots for PCR tests at Northern Irelands drive through sites. Lateral flow tests are most useful for asymptomatic screening and can be relied upon most of the time for detecting the virus in those experiencing no physical symptoms. One pinkish red line next to the control marker C indicates a negative result. The government has very clear guidelines for this event, Hull Live reports. However, in both cases you're likely to be infected. LATERAL flow tests are a quick and easy way to find out if you have Covid.