Covid testing free

[woolybanana]

it seems that the covid test which used to cost €54 is now to be free and can be administered by a much wider group of professionals:

( para 6 )

https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2020/07/25/coronavirus-en-france-la-circulation-du-virus-en-nette-augmentation-les-tests-rembourses-meme-sans-ordonnance_6047277_3244.html

[idun]

I have quite a few friends or their family members who have had testing for various reasons.

A friend's mother in her 90's is tested regularly as part of a study group, five tests so far, she is well and all negative results.

All the others are to do with testing programs too, rather than ill health.

And my husband has been asked to take part in a test too,which he will do. I would take part if asked, no idea why he was and I have not been.

I have no idea if I could pay for a test. I know that they were being sold, but I never looked into it, what with seeing, false negatives AND false positives being mentioned on the news, felt like it would have been a waste of money.

[pomme]

The article mentions "entièrement remboursé" par l'Assurance maladie rather than "free".

Does that mean if you give the laboratory your Carte Vitale you will not be charged or does it mean you still have to pay 54€ and are given a form to claim it back?

It is also unclear how it works if you use one of those in the new list of those now allowed to take a sample.

[NormanH]

I think that the main point is that the  test can now be administered by  many other people:

Le gouvernement avait déjà élargi la possibilité de faire les

prélèvements, initialement réservée aux seuls biologistes médicaux, aux

40 000 techniciens de laboratoire. Sont concernés par ce nouvel

élargissement : les infirmiers diplômés d’Etat, les étudiants en

odontologie, en maïeutique et en pharmacie, les aides-soignants, les

sapeurs-pompiers, les marins-pompiers et les secouristes des

associations agréées de sécurité civile titulaires d’une formation

adéquate aux premiers secours. Il s’agit des tests virologiques PCR pour

lesquels les délais d’attente sont aujourd’hui trop longs dans de

nombreuses zones, notamment en Ile-de-France, où le manque de bras et la

forte demande entraînent une quasi-saturation.

A lot of labs were becoming clogged up with people who wanted tests so they could go on holiday to countries which demanded a clear test of less than 3 days old.

As an aside it is a real nuisance for those of us who need regular blood tests for other things ( I have one a fortnight) to find the lab we go to too busy

[mint]

For those having to go into hospital for any sort of procedure, it seems that you will now need a test 72 hours before admission.

My surgeon has written to me today, enclosing an ordonnance and advised me to go to my local lab for instructions.

It is called an RT PCR Covid test and, on reading about it on the internet, I think it involves a swab as well as a blood test.  Also, during the course of my research, I learned that a new saliva test is to be rolled out au debut d'octobre.  I might not be in time for it so might have to have the dreaded prong up the nose[+o(]

[NormanH]

Better than a p ric k up the ears as Joe Orton didn't write[6]