People aren’t using lateral flow tests correctly, according to experts

A huge proportion of people haven’t been using lateral flow tests correctly when testing themselves for Omicron, new reports have suggested today. 

According to scientific experts, people should be taking samples from both their nose and their throat when using a lateral flow test, even when the instructions say only to take a swab from the nose.

This is to ensure all signs of the Omicron are detected in the swab, as the new variant is more likely to produce the symptoms of a cold early on, as opposed to a fever and loss of taste and smell. 

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Dr Michael Mina, who worked as an assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard, explained why adding a throat swab is important, saying, as per Lincolnshire Live: “Symptoms are starting very early with omicron. 

“This means that there is a chance the virus isn’t yet growing in the nose when you first test [as the] virus may start further down. Throat swab and nasal may improve chances a swab picks up virus.”

Professor Jennifer Rhon, cell biologist at UCL, supported Dr. Mina’s theory by sharing a photograph of her own positive lateral flow test, something she received after a number of negative tests.  

She wrote: “Well, there it is. Today, with the ‘wrong’ (i.e. cold) symptoms and after a string of negative LFTs, I finally took Twitter advice and swabbed my throat as well as my nose (no mean feat with that diddly stick). If you think you might have Covid, consider adding the throat sample.”

This comes as people continue to struggle with identifying symptoms of the Omicron variant, which has been proven to be more transmittable than other Covid strains. 

Professor Tim Spector, one of the founders of the Covid Zoe app, said that the ‘majority of symptoms’ are alike to the common cold, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme earlier this month that the key symptoms to look out for are headaches, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue and sneezing.

He said: “In London, where Covid is increasing rapidly, it’s far more likely to be Covid than it is to be a cold.

“We’re seeing doubling in the numbers equivalent to what’s being seen elsewhere, every two-and-a-half days, and that really means numbers are going up.”