Covid test warning issued as FLiRT variant surges in UK

Covid-19 experts are increasingly concerned about a new variant dubbed 'FLiRT' (Fresh Lineage of Rapid Transmission). According to The Mirror, hospitalisation rates show an uptick in infections, with the figure at 3.31 per 100,000 people around June 16 - a 23% increase from the preceding week.

Many might instinctively grab an old Covid test if displaying symptoms such as fever, cough or general fatigue. However, it's crucial to remember that these kits have an expiry date and should not be used once this has passed.

Social media content creator and aircraft mechanic, known as 'Flying Chaos', experienced this firsthand and shared his experience on TikTok. "If you have at home Covid test kits sitting around, check their expiration date because it could be expired," the 23-year-old urged on his account.

READ MORE: The full list of Covid symptoms in 2024 as hospital admissions increase

READ MORE: The number of people in hospital with Covid in Wales has almost doubled this month

"And if they're expired, they could give you a false positive or a false negative. We're not able to go back to work because of a possible false positive - two possible false positives. Check your Covid tests, make sure they're not expired please! ", reports the Mirror.

Standard Covid-19 rapid antigen tests, which include a nose swab, usually have a shelf-life of two years, per NHS instruction. But it's vital to check the expiry printed on your kit as some may differ.

Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist at Zoe, previously told the Huffington Post: "Lateral flow tests or LFTs do come with an expiry date on the box. However, the date on those can vary widely and we are still unsure how inaccurate they become."

He added: "An expired test will produce invalid results. If you have a few boxes at home, it would be wise to take a quick look for the date and use them in order of which box runs out first." For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here

While these rapid tests aren't foolproof for detecting Covid-19, a 2021 review of 64 studies claimed they correctly identify 72% of people on average with symptoms, and 58% of people without symptoms. However, it's thought this rate can decrease over time as the testing liquid evaporates, affecting the legitimacy of any swab tests taken, according to Cleveland Clinic.

The Government is monitoring the new FLiRT variants both in the UK and internationally. While there is no change to wider public health advice at this time, more data is needed to see the variant's impact.

The UK Health Security Agency said in May: "It's normal for viruses to mutate and change, and more widely we're still getting to grips with how the healthcare system responds to the ebb and flow of seasonal cases. As more data becomes available on this variant, we'll have a better understanding of how it interacts with our immune systems and how to optimise our protection and as well as actions we can take to keep the most vulnerable safe and live our lives as normally as possible."