An expert has issued advice for anyone with cold symptoms taking a lateral flow test.
Many people are using the rapid tests to determine whether it is safe to visit family as the UK continues to deal with a spike in cases in the the wake of the Omicron variant.
The symptoms of the new strain are described as being similar to the common cold - and include headaches, sore throat and a runny nose.
READ MORE: Early Omicron symptom you can hear before feeling unwell
However, Professor Jennifer L. Rohn has said a negative lateral flow test does not always mean you do not have covid as she received an incorrect result.
Certain rapid lateral flow tests require a nose swab only and the doctor has advised people displaying symptoms to still add the throat swab as an extra precaution.
She said: "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."
According to Wales Online, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard University claimed the throat swab improves chances of picking up the virus.
Dr Michael Mina said: "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 + nasal may improve chances a swab picks up virus."
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