Can Nasal Covid Lateral Flow Swabs Be Used In The Throat Instead Of The Nose?

[shivvy]

Most lateral flow tests now seem to be for nasal swabbing. I have had a head cold/bug for a while so if i swab my nose there is blood on the swab which gives a false positive result. So can i use the nasal swab test kit but swab my throat instead of my nose?
Thanks.

[Buenchico]

It seems that there's nothing to stop you swabbing your throat but the best method, where possible, might still be to swab both:
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/why-you-should-still-be-swabbing-your-throat-with-lateral-flow-tests_uk_61ea96bce4b0c24d4dd4a2b1

However I can find nothing online to suggest that the presence of blood in a swab sample would lead to a false positive test and, indeed, I can't see any scientific reason why it should. So maybe the (apparent) false positive test isn't false anyway?

[shivvy]

I have spoken to a few pharmacists today and have had a variety of answers! But it seems that 1) blood on the swab can affect the results. And 2) that the nasal swabs cannot be used for the throat.
So my next question is if anyone had bought throat swab test kits online anywhere?

[New Judge]

My question would be "why are you testing for Covid?"

Are you testing for any other endemic respiratory diseases?

[shivvy]

New Judge - I have elderly in-laws and I like to do a covid check before I visit them.