The announcement by Emmanuel Macron of access to virological tests for Covid-19 screening without a prescription risks provoking an extension of the results times, when the situation is already " tense ", fears François Blanchecotte, president of the Syndicat des biologistes (SDB).
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" This will be a problem if the demand is high, " he told AFP, noting that in regions that have recently organized large-scale screening campaigns, such as in Hauts-de-France and Ile -from France, " the deadlines are getting longer " already, sometimes with " 5 to 7 days " to obtain the test result. What stuck according to him: the number of caregivers to perform the samples and the number of platforms empowered to analyze them.
" We still only have 117 platforms authorized in France in 4,000 laboratories " for medical analysis, he laments. " What we are going to encourage is to allow anyone, without a medical prescription, even when they have no symptoms, if they have any doubt or fear, to be able to go and get tested, " said the President of the Republic during his interview on July 14.
700,000 tests per week
The non-prescription screening test is already possible for health professionals, in social medical establishments such as nursing homes and for French people who need a test to take the plane, upon presentation of their ticket, recalls François Blanchecotte.
If it is logical that, as in these cases, there is " 100% coverage " by Social Security, this will only be possible when an order has been published, and " there is no had a discussion for now with health insurance on this presidential announcement , "he said.
" We must be close to 370,000 tests per week when I speak to you ," estimated Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, assuring that the capacity to go up to 700,000 - the objective announced by the government at the end of confinement - existed but that " simply, the demand today is not there ".
