The tests are done, behind the wheel, outside the laboratory – F. Binacchi / ANP / 20 Minutes
- A coronavirus drive-test system is developing in recent days all over France to limit the spread of Covid-19.
- In Cannes, it is used in a city laboratory so that “no suspected coronavirus case enters the laboratory where it could contaminate staff but also patients”.
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It is 5 p.m. spent this Thursday afternoon in Cannes. A large 4×4 weaves its way between barriers on a stop tape, just outside the automatic door of a medical biology laboratory. At the wheel, Mario wears a mask. This 59-year-old French Riviera resident has “had a cough, headache and fever for 48 hours. “
The signs are suggestive. And her doctor prescribed her a screening test for
the Covid-19. He will pass it there, from the passenger seat of his vehicle. No fast food in this drive-in, therefore, but a test to detect the new coronavirus. A system that is developing in recent days all over France to limit the spread.
In a few seconds and the car leaves
A small team from this Bioestérel laboratory in the city of festivals, boulevard de la Ferrage, comes out with a sampling cart. After verifying the patient’s identity, a biologist, wearing protective glasses, a ffp2 mask, a gown and a charlotte steps forward, a swab in his gloved hand. He sticks it in a nostril of his fifties. The operation only takes a few seconds. “You will have the result within 24 hours,” says Dr. Guillaume Armana. And the car leaves.
AT @villecannes, a city medical biology laboratory performs tests, on medical prescription, of # COVID19 directly in the patient car #drive #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/m44H8b5mhg
– Fabien Binacchi (@fabienbinacchi) March 26, 2020
Behind, in another vehicle, Jean-François, a 40-year-old liberal nurse, also suffers from symptoms compatible with the Covid-19. “It is a fast system and is absolutely necessary to avoid spreading the virus a little more,” said the healthcare professional.
“Do not contaminate staff and other patients”
“We have implemented this device for a few days so that no suspected coronavirus case enters the laboratory where it could contaminate our staff but also our patients who continue to come for other examinations”, explains Dr Guillaume Armana at 20 minutes. He specifies that these tests are only carried out on medical prescription: “the prescriber contacts us and we organize an appointment with the patient”.
Wednesday, following the influx of people at the University Hospital Institute (IHU) Mediterranean, which decided to screen “all the febrile patients who come to consult”,
the Regional Health Agency (Paca) disapproved of the initiative. And recalled France’s current strategy in this area. “It is important to reserve the carrying out of tests for these more fragile and vulnerable people in order to make their diagnosis and their possible treatment easier,” the organization said.
The municipalities support these “drives”
In Cannes, the town hall fitted out the road network in front of establishments which had requested the installation of a drive. “Two private laboratories that we have supported now offer this device”, explains to 20 minutes LR Mayor of the City David Lisnard.
Several other Bioestérel laboratories in other major cities in the Alpes-Maritimes and Var have launched their drive when they have parking or in agreement with the municipality. The mayor of Nice announced, for its part, this Thursday, to have supervised this practice, on the public highway, for two establishments located rue Barla and boulevard Dubouchage.
“Following the decision of the Regional Health Agency [Paca] to approve and authorize several medical analysis laboratories to carry out tests in the Alpes-Maritimes in order to relieve congestion at the Nice University Hospital, the city has decided to organize drive-tests. They have been open since Thursday morning, ”said LR Mayor Christian Estrosi.
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