Public Health Wales announces increased frequency of lateral flow test data

Public Health Wales is making further improvements to its rapid reporting public-facing Covid-19 dashboard.

From Thursday 20 January, lateral flow device test information will be updated daily, Monday to Friday, on the ‘Lateral Flow Testing’ tab on the dashboard. 

This addition to the dashboard is intended to provide a more complete picture of Coronavirus in Wales, following the change in testing – meaning that people without symptoms who test positive on a lateral flow device no longer need to have a follow up PCR test. 

Dr Chris Williams, Consultant Epidemiologist for Public Health Wales, said:

“Lateral flow devices are a significant part of the Coronavirus testing strategy in detecting whether an individual is infectious. This more frequent reporting of the data from those tests is to maintain and match the transparency with which test results are reported, regardless of test method. The analysis methods are under development and should be interpreted with caution. Symptomatic individuals should still be requesting and taking a PCR test, whereas lateral flow testing is used to check infectiousness in asymptomatic (or presymptomatic) individuals.” 

“I would like to take this opportunity to remind the public of the importance of ensuring that all lateral flow test results – positive and negative - are reported on gov.uk/report-covid19-result.  This will help improve our understanding of the Coronavirus picture in Wales.”