NormanH Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 I had mine this morning and am waiting for the results.If you live in France you can have one done without prescription but you have to pay.Mine cost 15€ as I was also having another test done at the same time, but it may be a bit more of you have it as a single test.I just went to the Lab as usual and asked for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Interesting. Husband and I were just saying yesterday how unacceptable (to us) it was that getting any type of test just seemed impossible unless you had symptoms.We were both sick in February and wonder if we might have had a mild version of the virus. Probably not, but it would be nice to have the test, just to know.The antibody test is the blood test right? Testing if you are sick is the nasal swab right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Lori, here's all the lowdown on it[:)][url]https://www.doctissimo.fr/sante/epidemie/coronavirus-chinois/tests-serologiques-covid-19[/url]Thanks for that, Norman; very useful to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Unless I actually take ill with something that could be covid19, then it is the only test I would want.There is ofcourse that word,'HOWEVER' with this, because the scientists in general are unsure as to whether having anti bodies actually afford any protection against catching it again.I have discussed this at length with a friend who has a very rare illness which plays havoc with his auto immune system, and actually caught it and got over it quickly. This was weeks ago and he initially felt like he had got some immunity and is being cautious again now.As has been said, many of us get all sorts of viruses, from time to time, and having had them does not immunise us from further infection.So much for the scientists to get to grips with yet, that for all I would want to know if I had already had it, as I had been very unwell for several weeks in mid winter, including a persistent cough. And this before anyone thought it could be in Europe.......... and yet we know that in Paris they found a case when rechecking swabs from was it December or November? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Thanks for that link Mint. Very interesting. I did look at the various tests listed on the government link. It doesn't say if any of them are available without a prescription. I presume we will hear more about the availability of the tests as days pass. As Idun said, we don't know for certain that having the antibodies gives us any real protection or if it does, for how long. Also, I've read that the tests are between 90 and 95% accurate. So, there is always the chance that you will get a false result. Not really terribly reassuring, but I'd still like to have a test done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Yes, Idun. I read about the patient in Paris that dated back to November 2019. We were all over the Paris region using public transportation to search for a new rental in January, February and March. We spent hours each day on buses, trams, trains and metro. Constantly surrounded by sick people, which is pretty much the norm in Paris in winter. We ended up getting sick in the beginning of February. Terrible cough and strange symptoms overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 In view of this report I should explain that the blood test I am taking abour is not a 'finger-prick' type, it is the sort where the nurse or technician draw blood from a vein..https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/english-retailers-told-halt-coronavirus-home-antibody-test-deliveries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 honestly NH your post was a perfectly proper post and look what it did to it. Since when has the word p r i ck had to be censured so.It is a perfectly good word. I would dearly love to know if I have had covid19, and if I have strong anti bodies, but I truly believe that it is going to be at least a number of months before there is something that I trust. Let's face it, for future travel insurance we are going to have to have had either a vaccine against it, or prove good anti bodies, or I am sure that they will simply not insure any of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 Lori as far as having a prescription is concerned I had mine without one and so did a friend who has a restaurant. I was there when he had it, collecting a take away:)A prescription MAY be needed to have it reimbursed but not simply to have it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 I think you are 'pîssing in the wind' with these tests.OH went to see her doctor in a local hospital the other day.The doctors husband was severely ill with Crono.She also was quite ill after catching it whilst looking after him.He tested positive. She tested negative.Their son (also fell ill) tested negative.I think we have had it. OH and daughter tested negative after being very ill. Along with the 'covid toes' thing.I (as well as baby ALBF) have not bothered to take the test although we were ill as well.. The tests prove nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Found the comments about being ill in Feb interesting. I had the usual flu jab, my wife did not. Four of us in our building all ended up with the same symptoms Lori mentioned in Feb, it took weeks to get over it.Makes you wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Which is why I had the test....I posted to inform those who might be interested of the availability of these tests, not to recommend them..On prescriptions again, speaking generally, I think that people have the impression that they are needed to give permission for a blood test, whereas I believe that any of us can go and ask for a specific test ( for anaemia for example) but have to pay for it.The prescription by the MT is so that the test will be re-imbursed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Norman you're correct about Blood tests, I'm not registered with a French doctor yet, and in the meantime my UK GP wanted me to have a blood test, bit tricky as we are locked down in France. So went the local Laboratory, with no prescription, paid 40 odd Euros, got a full set of Blood tests. Sent them by E/Mail to the UK, GP was happy and acted accordingly. On another track, it's getting very difficult to find a Doctor now in the countryside in France who is taking on new patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Yes Nick there is a serious shortage in rural areas, and even here in town two practices have had to amalgamate to have enough Doctors.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-health-idUSKCN1NJ0HX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 My son lives in a city and when his GP changed jobs had a terrible time finding a new one, literally months. I have to say that as it is a lovely city, so it rather surprised me. Still, the amount GP's receive and the costs of living there would probably be a big factor.And then I remembered that years ago, it was said in Paris that by the time some GP's had paid for their cabinet and equipment, they were on the equivalent of minimum wage!One poster on here reckoned that GP's in France were 'rich', very well paid, they are not and never have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 I did hear murmurings that health professional might get their pay reviewed after all this covid stuff is sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith-aka-Judith Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 As with blood tests, you can go and see a doctor even if not registered. My father, on holiday, needed to see a doctor, he happily paid the fee, got his tablets he needed, also paying for them. Once on holiday, I needed to get my UK prescribed tablets, which I had omitted to pack, great hunt by the pharmacy to find a replacement as it had a different name here (of course), but we made it .. and I happily paid for it. So, as NOrmanH said, all things can be done, but without the MT prescription you pay for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 My result came back as negative, so I haven't got any antibodies against Covid19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Did you think/hope that you had had it NH?And this test needs to be 100% doesn't it, how efficacious is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 I was quite poorly in February with some of the symptoms, so I rather hoped I had had a mild version and might have some protection, but it was not to beYou are right about the test, but France seems more confident about them than the UK. Why I have no idea.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Apart from l'ennui mortel, I have been unusually well all during the winter and spring; so I am not expecting to have any sort of protection. Just hoping no seconde vague........fingers crossed...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Agree about the blood y ennui.What is good is that Norman is now cleared to reinhabit his barrel and get some serious begging done. Even his dog, a beast of entirely unknown parentage called Agamemnon, but huge and shaggy is able to get back to licking, begging, sniffing, and even eating foulness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 My UK-based stepson, his wife and grown-up son reckoned they had all had it in March/April. Hoping this would be confirmed, and maybe enable them to return to work, they sent off for tests. Wife positive; two chaps negative.But I think that might be the first sort of tests, that were supposed not to be totally reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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