A negative test and all is well?
Several personalities who have met Emmanuel Macron, diagnosed positive for Covid-19 in recent days, have already been tested ... negative.
But they will have to remain very careful, since nothing can be concluded from this express withdrawal.
Let's resume.
"We are especially contaminating from two days before the onset of symptoms," explains infectious disease specialist Benjamin Davido, who practices at Raymond-Poincaré hospital (Garches).
The head of state, who felt bad this Thursday morning, therefore potentially infected people he met on Tuesday and Wednesday, especially when the mask was not worn.
Wait seven days to get tested
Tuesday noon, for example, he had lunch with the presidents of the parliamentary group, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Tested on Wednesday (for a reason that is unknown since the positive diagnosis of the Head of State was not yet known), the leader of rebellious France posted the negative result of his test this Thursday afternoon on Twitter.
Result of my PCR test carried out yesterday: negative.
pic.twitter.com/r67W6OWHyV
- Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) December 17, 2020
And yet, that does not mean that it has not been contaminated.
Indeed, if one does not present symptoms, as is obviously the case of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the Health Insurance recommends "to wait at least seven days after the last contact with the sick person before making a test ".
The body in charge of monitoring contact cases deems "useless to do it before this date because if the test is carried out too early, it can be negative even if you are infected".
"A negative test does not exclude a future infection", recalled this Thursday evening the Director General of Health, Jérôme Salomon.
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To understand, you have to keep in mind what is called the incubation period, which separates the infection from the onset of symptoms (for those who will have them).
It of "five days on average", points out Benjamin Davido.
During this period, an infected person does not necessarily test positive.
"Prove that it was not me who contaminated it"
Jean Castex has met him with the Head of State on numerous occasions in recent days: Tuesday afternoon for an interview, Wednesday morning during the Council of Ministers, then Wednesday evening during a dinner at the Elysee Palace.
He too tested negative on Thursday but that doesn't mean anything either.
He will also remain in isolation and will be tested again in a week, as recommended by Health Insurance.
If it is negative again, the head of government will be able to end his isolation and consider that he has not been contaminated.
This is already what he did last September, after having been in contact with the director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme.
As for Brigitte Macron, she had every legitimacy to be tested this Thursday since she shares the home of the Head of State.
On the other hand, again, her negative diagnosis announced a few hours later does not mean that she will necessarily remain so in the coming days.
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As Benjamin Davido laughs, "the only interest in being tested so quickly after contact [with Emmanuel Macron] is to prove that it was not you who contaminated him".