Covid: how to best use rapid tests

Published on Monday, the last “illuminating note” of the Scientific Council is no longer very fresh. It was in fact handed over to the government on November 14, that is more than two weeks ago, and ten days before the head of state announced to the French a gradual decline from December 15.

This publication allows us to observe in retrospect that the government has taken the route recommended by scientists in terms of the use of antigen tests: rather than a massive population screening campaign, it has started operations. “Targeted”, “based on a extensive use of antigen tests “, in high schools, in nursing homes and soon in companies.

In its note, the scientific council lists the priority groups: “ populations still mobile during a period of confinement (middle schools, high schools, companies, caregivers), populations outside traditional screening circuits (precarious populations, migrants, homeless people, people in institutions) or populations at high risk of complications (elderly people in homes caregivers, their caregivers, domestic assistants) “.

The Slovak experience

The alternative to this strategy would have been to test the French massively, as in Slovakia. In this small country, 80-90% of the 3.6 million inhabitants between the ages of 10 and 65 have been screened. For this two-day punching operation, it was necessary to call the army. We found 57,500 positive people.

However, at the level of France, it is ” too soon “ consider such a campaign, judges the scientific council. And mass screening must prove itself. It is estimated that half of infected people go undetected, as they are still incubating. The operation must be repeated every two weeks, with the risk of“Exhaustion” good will.

The scientific council still recommends experimenting with massive screening before the release of imprisonment in some large cities, for example in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or in Hauts-de-France. This would provide proof of concept. But also “ test the capacity of population-level operations for future vaccination campaigns “.

One thing is certain: none of these screening strategies will work without the effective isolation of infected people. “Isolation remains the fundamental element that must accompany the diagnosis of infection “, but him “It has been a relative failure so far”, writes the Council. He then asks again “Ambassadors” serving patients e “Financial and organizational resources to support certain patients”.