FOCUS – Faced with strong demand, supermarkets claim to be able to put millions of self-tests on the shelves in the next few days.
This is a major change in the range of tools to fight against Covid-19. A decree appeared this Tuesday morning in the Official Journal, temporarily authorizing the sale of self-tests in supermarkets, until January 31, 2022. A decision motivated by the “very strong increase in the incidence rate, due to the spread of the Delta and Omicron variants” and “unprecedented demand for examinations and screening tests since the start of the health crisis“, Linked in particular to the end of year celebrations, states the executive in its decree.
Read alsoCovid-19: the sale of self-tests by supermarkets authorized until January 31
Less painful and more practical, these antigenic tests for the detection of Covid-19 by nasal swab have been available for sale in pharmacies since mid-April. How do they work? How reliable are they? What is their price? And will there be enough? Le Figaro make the point.
How does it work?
The principle is simple: just put the swab provided in your nose, stir it on the surface and then place it in a tube with a solution containing a reagent. Once this step is over, you have to place two droplets on a bar which will give the result after fifteen to twenty minutes.
To collect the sample, no need to go deep into the nasopharynx – a method greatly feared by some users – as is the case for PCR and antigen tests. The swab should in fact be inserted vertically into the nostril for only 2 to 3 cm. These tests must also be reserved for people who do not show symptoms of Covid-19 and who are not contact cases.
Read alsoCovid-19: instructions for use of self-tests
How reliable are these tests?
According to the Ministry of Health, “To authorize these tests, the High Authority for Health requires that they be able to detect the presence of the virus in a person who is actually sick in at least 80% of cases, and that they are able to observe the absence of virus in a non-sick person in more than 99% of cases“. “Thus, the risk of false positives, that is to say the risk of being tested positive when in reality one is not a carrier of the virus, is extremely low: this risk occurs in less than 1% of caseHe adds.
Read alsoCovid-19: are self-tests of real interest?
Nevertheless, “as the self-tests are not taken by a healthcare professional, but by the user himself, the possibility of obtaining a “false negative” caused by a sampling error is very real. It is therefore essential to keep in mind that a negative result does not necessarily mean that the user is not carrying the virus.», Underlines the ministry on its site. According to data provided by the French National Authority for Health (HAS) in a notice published in April, self-tests are around 80% effective in symptomatic patients, but their sensitivity only drops to around 50% in asymptomatic people.
Where to find them?
The self-tests have been available in pharmacies since mid-April. Long neglected by the general public, they have experienced a recent comeback, thanks to the end of the year celebrations. The government has indeed encouraged the French to be tested before being reunited with their families, as has the Scientific Council. As a result, many pharmacies are now out of stock.
Read also“We haven’t had any for three weeks”: pharmacies faced with a shortage of self-tests
Supermarkets can also offer them for sale, since the decree published this Tuesday, December 28 in the Official Journal. “Exceptionally and until January 31, 2022, self-tests for antigenic detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on nasal swab (…) can be sold at retail», Indicates the text. Even before the publication of this decree, several brands had expressed their desire to distribute it: E.Leclerc, Intermarché, Lidl and Système U in particular. By mid-March, anticipating their launch on the market, Carrefour had ordered a million. The sign claims to be “restock», To be able to offer them in store and in e-commerce. Auchan is also one of the brands that will sell it.
When will they be available in supermarkets?
Faced with strong demand, supermarkets claim to be able to put millions of self-tests on the shelves in the next few days from Tuesday, December 28, the date of authorization. “Thousands will be available for sale from Friday, December 31, or even a little earlier“, Says one at Carrefour. On the Intermarché side, his boss Vincent Bronsard said Friday to Parisian to be able to “have three million self-tests” In a week. “As soon as we have the authorization, in a few days we will be able to supply our 1,600 stores across France.», Declared Dominique Schelcher, president of Système U, invited on RTL this Tuesday morning.
What is their price?
The maximum selling price for self-tests is set at 5.20 euros. They are not reimbursed by Health Insurance, except for certain professionals working with the elderly or disabled.
If they are sold around five euros in pharmacies, the supermarket chains intend to sell them much cheaper. Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Système U, Auchan, Intermarché … All of them promise to distribute them “at cost price“. Or less than two euros per unit, have already specified the bosses of the U and Intermarché stores.
Read alsoSelf-tests: Intermarché in turn asks to authorize their sale in supermarkets
What if the test is positive?
If the test comes back positive (that is, with two colored bands), the Ministry of Health recommends following a specific protocol. You should first isolate yourself immediately, and perform a confirmatory PCR test.
People with whom we have been in contact recently must be notified urgently, so that they can isolate themselves. The ministry also recommends contacting your attending physician, who can then present the procedure to follow, prescribe masks and time off work if necessary. After the period of isolation, barrier gestures must also be scrupulously observed.
Read alsoSelf-tests: behind the scenes of the battle between pharmacists and distributors