Saliva tests to detect the new coronavirus will be set up in early October, announced Tuesday the president of the Scientific Council Jean-François Delfraissy, heard by the senatorial commission of inquiry.

Saliva tests to detect the new coronavirus will probably be set up at the beginning of October, said the president of the Scientific Council Jean-François Delfraissy on Tuesday before the senatorial commission of inquiry on the management of Covid-19.

"The saliva samples will most likely be in place at the end of September or early October," he said. 

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According to him, these saliva tests - the sample of which is easier than that in the nose and less unpleasant for the person tested - would make it possible to have "a simpler strategy" of tests.

The data of the evaluation in the Paris region and in Guyana show, from a saliva sample, "a very good specificity and a sensitivity of the order of 80%, which is sufficient," he said. .

Delfraissy expresses "his regret" on "the Ehpad" 

"The French public health system (...) was not ready for a tsunami" like that of the Covid-19 epidemic, he also declared, estimating that "what comes out of this crisis , it is the problem of the reorganization of public health in France ".

"I would like to express a regret, this is what happened in nursing homes," he also assured.

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Professor Delfraissy hoped that, "if there was a resumption of the virus in the coming weeks or months, we do not start over what happened in nursing homes and that everything be ready".

Out of 30,000 deaths from Covid-19 in France, more than 10,000 have taken place in social and medico-social establishments, including nursing homes.

In addition, many nursing home residents suffered from the isolation imposed during confinement, from March to May.