Since Saturday, pharmacists, doctors and nurses can perform antigen tests which give the results of Covid-19 screening in less than 30 minutes.
- These tests, which are less reliable than PCR tests, are reserved primarily for symptomatic people under the age of 65 who do not present a risk of developing a serious form of the disease.
- The test should be done within four days of the onset of symptoms.
- It can be carried out in a pharmacy, with its general practitioner and liberal nurses, and is free.
To speed up the fight against the epidemic, the government has authorized pharmacists, general practitioners and liberal nurses to be able to carry out antigenic tests. Much faster than the PCR test to detect Covid-19, less than 30 minutes against a minimum of 24 hours, this test is less reliable. By detecting antigens, the proteins produced by the virus, it determines if the person is infected at the time they take the test.
For who ?
The objective of deploying these tests on a national scale is to unclog the analysis laboratories and to accelerate the detection of Covid-19. It is currently reserved primarily for symptomatic people under the age of 65 who do not present a risk of developing a serious form of the disease (diabetes, obesity, heart disease, etc.). An asymptomatic person can also carry out this test but this one being less reliable than the PCR test, if the result is positive then it is considered reliable but if it is negative the doubt exists.
Where to do it?
For greatest effectiveness, the test should be done within four days of the onset of symptoms. These are multiple and range from cough, fever, diarrhea, headaches to loss of smell, taste and respiratory problems. In pharmacies, a professional will be trained to be able to carry out this individual screening test. For the time being, carrying out this test does not require a prescription or the advance payment. For health insurance, which pays for the test, the cost is 8.05 euros depending on the decree authorizing its deployment published on October 26. General practitioners and private nurses are also authorized to do so.
How does it work ?
This test takes place, like a PCR test, in the nose. A swab is inserted into each nostril to detect, using a chemical reagent, the presence or absence of the virus. This reagent works by destroying the virus and releasing its specific proteins. The drops obtained are then deposited on the test which is presented as a pregnancy test. After less than 30 minutes, on average 15, the result is displayed and the patient knows whether he is infected with Covid-19 or not.
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