. 2022 Feb 24;20:97. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02300-9

Table 3.

Follow-up of participants who initially received a negative test result

	Phase 1 (Ag-RDT result communicated)	Phase 2 (molecular test result communicated)
Initial test result negative, n	4847	2461
Initial test result false negative, n (%)	168 (3.5)	n/a^a
Initial test result true negative, n (%)	4697 (96.5)	n/a^a
At least one subsequent SARS-CoV-2 test registered within 14 days^b, n (%)	887 (18.3)	284 (11.5)
Initial test result false negative, n (%)	103 (61.3)	n/a^a
Initial test result true negative, n (%)	784 (16.8)	n/a^a
SARS-CoV-2-positive test within 14 days, n (%)	213 (4.4)	28 (1.1)
Initial test result false negative, n (%)	93 (55.4)	n/a^a
Initial test result true negative, n (%)	120 (2.6)	n/a^a
Stratified analysis according to symptomology at time of initial testing
Initial test result negative, n	4715^c	2392^d
Symptomatic, n (%)	2893 (61.4)	1427 (59.7)
Asymptomatic, n (%)	1822 (38.6)	965 (40.3)
Initial test result false negative, n	161	n/a^a
Symptomatic, n (%)	91 (56.5)	n/a^a
Asymptomatic, n (%)	70 (43.5)	n/a^a
Initial test result true negative, n	4554	n/a^a
Symptomatic, n (%)	2802 (61.5)	n/a^a
Asymptomatic, n (%)	1752 (38.5)	n/a^a
SARS-CoV-2-positive test within 14 days
Initial test result negative	-	-
Symptomatic, n (%)	87 (3.0)	12 (0.8) ^*
Asymptomatic, n (%)	114 (6.3)	16 (1.7) ^*
Initial test result false negative	-
Symptomatic, n (%)	42 (46.2)**	n/a^a
Asymptomatic, n (%)	44 (62.9)**	n/a^a
Initial test result true negative	-
Symptomatic, n (%)	45 (1.6)***	n/a^a
Asymptomatic, n (%)	70 (4.0)***	n/a^a

Ag-RDT rapid lateral flow antigen diagnostic tests, n/a not applicable

^aNot applicable since the molecular reference test result was communicated in phase 2

^bBased on pseudonymised linkage to SARS-CoV-2 test results database of the public health service test sites

^cSymptom status not available for 132 participants

^dSymptom status not available for 69 participants

^*χ² =3.3, p=.068

^**χ² =4.4, p=.035

^***χ² =25, p<.001