As Christmas approaches, the French are worried about the risks of contamination linked to Covid-19.
And, like last year, many of them should go, in the coming days, to a laboratory or a pharmacy to be tested before joining their loved ones.
Something to stretch the chain.
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On the ground, the increase in demand is noted by professionals.
“
Since the beginning of December, there has been a sharp increase in antigen tests in pharmacies.
We are at around 200,000 per day, compared to 100,000 in November
”, underlines Philippe Besset, president of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France (FSPF).
"
There are also a lot of people who buy several self-tests to do it themselves
," adds Christine, preparer in a pharmacy in the Alpes-Maritimes.
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For the time being, however, we are still far from the rush observed in previous years.
According to Drees, attached to the Ministry of Health, 1.8 million tests were counted during the week of December 5 to 11.
A figure up 15% over seven days, but lower than during the peaks of December 2020 - more than 3.8 million tests in the seven days leading up to Christmas - and, above all, of December 2021 - 7.5 million of tests over the same period, marked by the emergence of the Omicron variant.
On the single day of December 24, last year, laboratories and pharmacies had thus brought up more than 1.6 million sample results.
If the use of swabs increases, vaccination also follows this movement.
“
It picked up very strongly, with around 100,000 vaccines per day
”, more than double in a week, reports Philippe Besset, “
and pharmacies carry out three quarters of
it ”.
According to the Ministry of Health, 60.2% of French people and 82.5% of those over 65 had received a booster vaccination by December 18.
“
Older people take the fourth, fifth or even sixth dose
,” observes Christine.
In his pharmacy, "
the appointments are complete until the end of the year
", a dynamic explained by "
the fear of having to cancel the end of year celebrations because of the Covid-19
".
An “almost inevitable” epidemic rebound after the holidays
The renewed interest in testing and vaccination is part of an epidemic recovery, which now seems to be subsiding: the latest figures from the Ministry of Health are reassuring, with 8,213 new confirmed cases as of December 19, down from 24 .5% over a week.
This figure goes hand in hand with a positivity rate of 25.7% on December 16, down 8.7% over one week.
However, these data should be taken with caution because thousands of French people have carried out tests.
Many people were thus negative, lowering the positivity rate.
In order to prevent the Covid from disrupting the end-of-year celebrations, the Committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks (Covars) recommends to “
amplify as quickly as possible
” barrier gestures and vaccination.
The objective is thus to avoid a strong epidemic rebound at the start of the year, which "
proves to be almost inevitable
", regrets Philippe Besset.
"
Even if it takes a fortnight for the antibodies to appear, it is better to do it now
," says Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the Union of Dispensary Pharmacists' Unions (USPO).
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Regarding masks, the Covars recommends not only to wear them but also to “
reinforce their accessibility and their availability free of charge in all places where they are necessary
”.
But free and compulsory wearing of masks is not on the government's agenda.
In an interview on December 17 with the
JDD
, the Minister of Health, François Braun, specified that in the absence of a state of health emergency, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne “
can issue a decree to impose [the mask in transport] under its police powers.
At the local level, mayors can also impose it in certain circumstances
”.
