She barely shuddered at the unpleasant contact of the swab plunging into her nostril, under the eyes of journalists who came in numbers.
Laura Ramdiane, 27, was the second, this Wednesday morning, to pass through the doors of the antigenic testing center of Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) - one of the first five of its kind in Ile-de-France , opened at the instigation of the regional council in partnership with the Red Cross - and the very first of 93.
At first glance, nothing distinguishes the nasal swab from that carried out in the context of PCR tests.
But the research is different: the antigen test must make it possible to identify a protein specific to the Covid virus.
And above all, the result is infinitely faster than the other exams.
In fifteen minutes, the patient is fixed.
Laura Ramdiane came as a neighbor, from Saint-Ouen, where she lives.
On presentation of a Vitale card and an identity document, she was able to undergo the test.
“My companion has had cases of Covid around him, he himself was tested today.
I didn't want to take any risks, especially as I am about to move and I will therefore be in contact with quite a few people on this occasion… ”Employee in the event, she hopes that the system“ will help companies to reopen their doors, offering these tests to their employees ”.
"A very reliable test over 80%"
“It's a very reliable test, over 80%.
This is less than PCR tests, which have a reliability of 90 to 95%, but the antigen test is recognized by health authorities.
It gives rise to an official screening certificate from the Regional Health Agency ”, underlines Vivien Buros, of the company Juste à Temps, in charge of the deployment of test centers on behalf of the regional council.
While the second wave of the epidemic is sweeping over Ile-de-France, the PS mayor of Saint-Denis, Mathieu Hanotin, welcomes a “new prevention tool”, which is added to other existing places in the town - including a large screening center in the Legion of Honor room, in the city center, capable of performing up to 500 tests per day.
"The region proposed to install it at Saint-Denis station, but we wanted to position it in the Pleyel district, so that it also benefits the inhabitants of Saint-Ouen," explains the elected official.
We are near a metro station.
The district will welcome many construction sites and workers in the coming months.
The issue is that they can come here before going to work, if there is any doubt.
"
Karim Bouamrane, socialist councilor of Saint-Ouen, adds: “The key is to screen, screen, screen.
This is what we did last summer.
After the discovery of a cluster in a nursery school in July, a screening campaign had made it possible to test more than 2,200 people, and to identify 22 positive cases.
"Our priority is municipal officials, because they guarantee the continuity of public service," adds Karim Bouamrane.
The fifteen minutes have passed.
Laura discovers her result: negative!
Positive patients will be invited, explains Vivien Buros, “to remain in isolation for 7 to 10 days and then to take a test again”, this time PCR test.
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Be careful, however: although it is not necessary to present a prescription or to be one of the patients deemed to have priority in order to access the antigen test, it is however reserved for asymptomatic people except in contact or cluster cases;
and symptomatic people, under 65 years of age, if they are within the first four days of having symptoms and cannot obtain a PCR test within 48 hours.
Espace Jeunesse Pleyel, 9, place des Pianos, in Saint-Denis. Pleyel metro station. Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.