RAT Discussion on Limitations Right, so here's my personal experience of the limitations of RAT testing:
My wife had to travel to Auckland for work, and so, before having contact with anyone else outside our household after returning home, did a RAT test on day 3 - returned negative (Thursday evening)
Friday night she had minor symptoms, so did a test Saturday morning and it came back positive.
I had minor symptoms at this time as well, so did a RAT test as advised, and it came back negative.
Monday evening, more symptomatic, and I did another test - still negative. I decided to ignore the test, and class myself as positive (i hadn't had contact with anyone to catch anything else)
The next Saturday morning (after symptoms had subsided) I did another RAT test as it should have been the end of my isolation, and this one finally came back positive, but since I was asymptomatic, I was able to leave isolation?
So, RAT tests alone aren't a sure-fire way of detecting covid (particularly in vaccinated people). From what I've read, if you're vaccinated, you'll have a faster response, and earlier symptoms, sometimes before RAT test sensitivity.