The Minister of Health Olivier Véran said in the interview he gave this weekend to the Parisian: France is preparing for an epidemic of coronavirus. How? 'Or' What? This notably involves increasing the number of laboratories equipped with diagnostic tests in order to carry out "several thousand analyzes per day", compared to several hundred currently.
Who performs these tests?
Dedicated specifically to the diagnosis of Covid-19, the diagnostic test was developed by the Pasteur Institute. When a patient is classified among the “possible cases” by a referent infectiologist and the SAMU, samples are taken as soon as possible in an authorized establishment. If the latter has the test, the samples are analyzed on site. Otherwise, they are sent to the National Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory viruses at the Institut Pasteur.
How are the samples taken?
The type of sample taken depends on the symptoms developed by the patient. In most cases, these are called “nasopharyngeal” samples. Clearly, cells are collected deep in the nose using a swab, a kind of long cotton swab. It can also be blood, urine or stool samples.
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Once these samples are in the hands of the analysis laboratory, "the results are known between three and five hours later", explains to Parisian Sylvie Behillil, deputy head of the National Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory viruses at the Institute Pastor.
As we told you in a previous article, the technician will use a reaction liquid which will reveal, or not, the presence of the virus.
Can anyone be detected?
If you are worried about being infected with the coronavirus, there is no point in contacting a laboratory directly: only patients who are previously classified as "possible cases" and who have symptoms are tested.
At the Institut Pasteur, these types of calls have increased in recent weeks and "this should not be resolved with what is happening in Italy and South Korea," says Sylvie Behillil. These people are redirected to the information hotline (0800 130 000) or the SAMU.
How are "suspicious cases" treated?
Before they are classified as "possible cases", patients are simply considered "suspect". The Ministry of Health asks these people to contact the SAMU directly and to avoid going to the emergency room or to consult their doctor. Despite these recommendations, "healthcare professionals in urban medicine can be confronted with this care," said the ministry in the latest version of its guide to preparing for epidemic risk dated February 20.
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He therefore recommends that they have surgical masks for patients, a respiratory protection device and protective glasses on hand. Without forgetting of course gloves and a hydro-alcoholic solution to disinfect the hands. And the ministry stresses that in the event of an epidemic, health professionals practicing in town medicine "will be on the front line".