Covid lateral flow testing: what to expect

As part of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, regular twice weekly testing at home for those with no Covid symptoms is becoming available for more people, including those in close contact of nursery children.

As a parent of a nursery aged child, I want to play my part in helping keep my family and the wider community safe, as well as the staff at my child’s nursery school who have been coming to work throughout the pandemic, despite the risks.

As many families across the town will be making Covid testing a part of their weekly routine, some may be nervous, fearful, or reluctant to do so.

Doing anything new can create feelings of unease and uncertainty. Some people might have questions they want answering before deciding to test.

Here, I share my experience of using a lateral flow test kit at home, explaining where to get them and what it involves. 

Where to get the tests?

I chose to collect my free tests from The Anvil in Basingstoke, which is open between 1pm and 8pm. There is no need to book an appointment.

I arrived at around 4.15pm on Friday. With the number of people now eligible for tests in Hampshire, I was expecting to see a queue, but I was the only person there.

A friendly man welcomed me, asked me to sanitise my hands and directed me along a path lined with plastic screens through to the auditorium.

It was strange, and a little sad, being back inside The Anvil and seeing it transformed for Covid testing.

NHS staff were always in view and there to direct me. A woman handed over two boxes of seven lateral flow tests, helpfully advising I could watch a video online. And that was it, off I went.

I was in and out within two minutes. I didn’t have to provide any identification. No questions were even asked about my eligibility to use the tests.

If you’re unsure about doing the test yourself at home, you can also attend the drop-in community testing centre at Picket Twenty Sports Ground, or South Ham Library in Basingstoke. These are only for testing of those with no Covid symptoms.

What to do?

It is recommended that those eligible should test twice a week using the at home kits. I decided to do my first on Saturday morning when I had time to properly read the instructions and figure out what to do.

Initially, the contents of the box looked a little overwhelming. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of instructions, but I knew it was probably important to read the leaflet fully before attempting the test to make sure I did it accurately.

I read the leaflet and it was simple to understand and easy to identify what each item was for and what to do with it. However, embarrassingly, I still managed to mess up on my first attempt, accidently turning two pages of the instructions and skipping the part where I needed to swab, instead putting the swab straight into the solution.

Frustratingly, I had to throw the swab and solution away and start again.

Take two went without a hitch, although I was hesitant when swabbing my nose as it felt quite unnatural poking a stick up there so far! Circling my tonsils resulted in slight gagging, and my eyes watered when I put the swab far up my nostril. It was unpleasant, but over within seconds and not painful.

Next, I had to put the swab into the solution before squeezing two drops onto the test and noting the time to check in 30 minutes.

Thankfully, the result came back negative. Although this felt reassuring, it is advised that the tests may miss some people who have Covid-19, so it therefore still important to follow the current government guidelines.

How long does the test take?

It took me around 15 minutes to complete the test. However, this was my first try and I therefore needed to spend time reading the leaflet and familiarising myself with the contents of the kit.

I would guess that once I am familiar with the process it will take less than five minutes to carry out the test. Of course, the wait for the result is 30 minutes.

How accurate are the tests?

Lateral flow tests are less accurate than the PCR Covid tests sent to laboratories for processing. This means they do not always correctly generate a positive result for people with asymptomatic Covid.

However, the are useful for finding out if a person is infectious at the time of taking the test when the levels of the virus are at their highest and people are most likely to pass on the disease. It is less likely to return a positive result when low levels of the virus are present.

For this reason, users of lateral flow tests are advised that a negative result does not mean you do not have Covid-19.

How often should I test?

It is recommended that tests are performed twice a week, with three to five days in between each test in a seven-day period. So, I tested on Saturday meaning my next test should be on Tuesday or Wednesday.

What to do if you have a positive

Those who do test positive must self-isolate straight away along with everyone they live with. You should also book a follow-up PCR test as soon as possible at one of the symptomatic testing sites in Hampshire.

You should fill in the registration forms as fully as possible at the testing site, so that NHS Test and Trace can get in touch with you to trace your movements and close contacts.

Should I test if I have had a vaccine?

It is recommended that even those who have received a vaccine should still take lateral flow tests if eligible. This is because the vaccine does not provide 100 per cent protection. 

Who is eligible?

Those currently eligible for regular lateral flow testing are:

-People regularly leaving home to go to work

-People not covered by an existing workplace testing scheme or other programme

-Households with nursery, primary school, secondary school, and college age children, including childcare and support bubbles

-Households, childcare, and support bubbles of nursery, primary, secondary, and college staff

-Adults working in the wider school community, including bus drivers and after school club leaders

Conclusion

In summary, once I had familiarised myself with the test and how to use it, it was relatively easy and straight-forward to carry out.

For ten minutes of my time each week, it seems a very small inconvenience in comparison to the potential benefits of taking the test.

We all know that one in three people who has Covid is asymptomatic, which is why the virus is so dangerous and can so easily spread within communities.

As lockdown restrictions are set to ease further, hopefully, regular testing for those who are eligible will help identify those who might otherwise spread the virus unknowingly