New Paper: Do members of the public think they should use lateral flow tests or PCR tests?

If you have COVID-19-like symptoms, what are you meant to do? A PCR test? Lateral flow? Both? Neither? It's all been a bit confused recently, so the CORSAIR team of researchers from UCL, King's College London and Public Health England checked what 3665 members of public in England and Scotland think. 10% of respondents thought Government guidance stated that they should take an LFT if symptomatic, while 18% of people thought that should take a PCR test; 60% thought they should take both types of test (12% did not select either option). The correct answer is to take a PCR test if you have symptoms.

In 185 people who had developed symptoms in the last week, only 32% reported taking a test to confirm whether they had COVID-19. Of these, 53% reported taking a PCR test and 44% reported taking an LFT.

Read the full paper

To find out more, contact Professor Henry Potts, at h.potts@ucl.ac.uk

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