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Coronavirus

20th Dec 2021

Man’s four tests in 24 hours to show just how quickly lateral flows turn positive

Charlie Herbert

It demonstrates the importance of doing tests just before going out

A doctor has shown how quickly covid-19 can develop by taking four lateral flow tests in one day, with the first two coming back negative and the last two coming back positive.

It shows how covid can develop in a person in just a matter of hours.

Posting the image of the tests on Twitter, Billy Quilty an infectious disease epidemiologist at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says the at-home lateral flow tests should be taken just before you go out or mix with others and no earlier.

He warned that a test taken even hours before leaving could be too early.

“A demo of how fast you can turn positive. Do LFTs *just* before meeting up,” Dr Quilty wrote.

New rules state that anyone who lives with someone who has Omicron must do a lateral flow every day for a week.

Meanwhile the government has advised anyone who is heading to an event where they could spread covid to others to take a lateral flow test first.

Omicron continues to surge across the country, with the UK recording record-breaking numbers of infections in recent days.

However the increase in demand for lateral flow and PCR tests has outstripped supply.

Last week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced it would be doubling the availability of lateral flow tests.

UKHSA and Royal Mail announced that capacity for  home deliveries for the  covid testing kits will double to 900,000 a day in response to a week of unprecedented demand.

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