Lateral flows tests are poorer at detecting coronavirus if users only swab their nose, results show.

Since last summer, the Government has been providing test kits that no longer require people to swab their tonsils.

But in recent months, many people have reported that they have tested negative if only swabbing their nose, but positive if they include a throat sample.

The Telegraph has seen data published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) which shows that, for the popular Orient Gene test, test sensitivity falls if the throat is not swabbed.

For high viral loads, the test picks up 92 per cent of cases with nose and throat but only 88 per cent with nose alone. For lower viral loads, it detects just 47 per cent of cases compared with 59 per cent if both are carried out.

In its report, the DHSC concluded that the drop in detection was acceptable because it would make the test more tolerable for people having to test on a daily or weekly basis.

“Moving from throat-and-nose swab to anterior nares swabbing results in a reduction in test sensitivity across all viral loads,” the report concluded.

“However, in light of the likely improved tolerability from users of anterior nares swabbing, especially for a daily and or weekly testing context, this reduction is deemed acceptable.”