After several weeks of decline, the demand for screening tests is on the rise again.
According to the Department of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees), attached to the Ministry of Health, last week, nearly three million samples were validated by a health professional.
A number up for the second consecutive week, by 18% over seven days, and 28% over two weeks.
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The bar of 500,000 daily tests was again crossed on March 14, for the first time since February 21.
A level which certainly remains low compared to the daily record, reached on January 10.
Demand is increasing in all age groups, and more particularly among those under 16 and those aged 41-65.
As in previous weeks, the youngest prefer antigen tests, unlike their elders.
Unsurprisingly, this recovery observed for two weeks goes hand in hand with the epidemic rebound caused by the Ba.2 sub-variant, more contagious, and now the majority in France.
The end of the “
winter school holidays
” also played a role, according to DREES.
For the time being, if the rebound in the number of tests is confirmed, demand remains well below the levels observed between December and January: in the last month of 2021, more than 30 million tests were validated, and more from 45.7 million in January.
A rhythm never seen before.
By way of comparison, 16.36 million tests were reported in February and, over the first twenty days of March, 7.37 million samples were taken.
While most of the health restrictions have been lifted, the executive is banking on a measured rebound in contamination by April.
In mid-March, the Pasteur Institute published forecasts counting on an "
increase in hospital admissions in the coming days
".
But, even in the worst case, the peak of the rebound would remain much lower than that of January.
“
We are extremely vigilant
”, commented the Minister of Health, calling on fragile people to continue “
to protect themselves
” and to wear the mask.