The numbers give the spin.
More than a million and a half PCR or antigen tests were carried out in France on Monday and Tuesday, according to the latest figures from Public Health France unveiled on Friday evening (there is always a three-day delay so that the immense the majority of the data are reported).
This is as much as during the whole week of December 9 to 15.
This very strong increase can be explained in particular by the approach of the holidays, with many French people wanting to know if they are infected before going to find their loved ones, as well as by the massive screening campaigns organized in several regions, like us. explained it on Tuesday.
In its weekly epidemiological update published Thursday evening, Public Health France also advances these explanations.
70% of PCR tests
If such figures are reached, it is above all thanks to the very strong mobilization of the health professionals responsible for taking the samples.
In the laboratory, biologists are in charge of PCR tests.
If the proportion of the latter decreases, they still represented 70% of the total number of tests during the week of December 14 to 20, according to the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees).
"Monday, Tuesday but also Wednesday, we carried out every day 5000 PCR tests in my department", testifies the president of the union of biologists, François Blanchecotte, installed in Indre-et-Loire.
In order to anticipate this very strong crowd expected with the approach of the holidays, the staff recruited this fall has sometimes been retained.
“Many laboratories have hired 15 to 20% additional employees since September and have kept them,” says François Blanchecotte.
In addition, "we have installed more sampling centers over extended hours to correspond to people's lifestyles, sometimes 10 am-7pm", he testifies.
In Tours, for example, a space has been set up at Place de la Resistance, right in the city center and in the shopping area.
"The laboratories are much better organized to cope", approves the general practitioner Jérôme Marty, who chairs the French Union for free medicine (UFML).
"Increased work" in pharmacy
The issue of staffing is also what worries pharmacists.
Since the end of October, they have been carrying out antigen tests in their premises or on barnums installed outside, which are gaining momentum.
In Limoux (Aude), Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Philippe Besset devoted himself full time to samples in a specially equipped room in his pharmacy.
Over the three days, he performed 100 antigen tests.
"It takes a quarter of an hour each time," testifies the president of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France, acknowledging that this gives "extra work" to the other two pharmacists and the two preparers who work with him.
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Jérôme Marty is sometimes present at the screening site installed in his commune of Fronton (Haute-Garonne), populated by 6,000 inhabitants.
"We do very few antigenic tests in a doctor's office but we take turns between doctors in this center," he testifies.
If this is not the case at home, he says he has heard of "long queues" elsewhere.
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Fortunately, the delays for antigenic tests are only a few tens of minutes.
The situation has also clearly improved for PCR tests since 97% of the results were known the same day or the day after the sample on the week of December 14 to 20, according to figures from Drees.
In September, it was often necessary to wait several days or even more than a week in the most stressed areas.
"We had enormous pressure from health insurance to provide results more quickly", recognizes François Blanchecotte.
Generous health insurance for antigen testing
Will biologists, pharmacists, doctors and nurses have the means to keep up if the increase in demand for tests continues?
Because some might want to be tested after Christmas to make sure they haven't been infected as the New Year approaches.
“It would not be sustainable over time, unless we recruit more staff,” says Philippe Besset.
The president of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France recognizes that this could however be considered economically, in view of the large sums that the Health Insurance reimburses for each antigen test carried out (34.49 euros while the purchase price is between 3 and 6 euros).
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Philippe Marty also believes "not to see how we could do more because we are just in time, unless we open other screening centers."
However, "Christmas is a more family celebration for which one can be worried about going to see your grandmother, which is less the case on New Year's Eve", concludes the general practitioner.