Health pass: the number of tests jumps by 50%

The number of Covid-19 screening tests increased by 50% last week, marked by the expansion of the use of the health pass to places of culture and leisure, according to figures released Thursday by the Research Directorate , studies, evaluation and statistics (Drees).

“Between July 19 and 25, 2021, 3,600,000 RT-PCR and antigen tests were validated”, against 2,390,000 the previous week, a “strong increase in connection with the gradual deployment of the health pass”, specifies the management statistics of social ministries.

This increase was mainly driven by rapid antigenic tests, which went from 43.1% of the total tests carried out during the week of July 12 to 18 to 52.3% last week.

The increase in screening was "driven by 26-40 year olds," who performed 75% more tests, adds Drees.

834,000 tests in one day

Friday July 23 saw a new maximum number of tests in one day, 834,000 tests of all types, exceeding the previous peak of December 23, 2020 (814,000 tests taken).

This increase had no impact on the time taken to render the tests, since "the share of tests (all RT-PCRs and antigens) validated in less than 24 hours remains stable, at 97%", according to Drees .

The average validation time for PCR tests is stable at 0.5 days.

Since July 21, entry into places of leisure and culture bringing together more than 50 people is conditional on the presentation of a health pass, attesting to a complete vaccination, a negative test of less than 48 hours or a past infection, documented by a positive RT-PCR test, at least 11 days old and less than 6 months old.