With the saturation of laboratories, getting a test becomes more and more difficult.

Some travelers fearing that they will not be able to board their flights to Overseas France choose to falsify Covid-19 tests to pass controls.

The authorities are struggling to fight and quantify the exact number of offenders.

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To take a plane to Overseas, travelers are required to present a negative Covid-19 test dating less than 72 hours before boarding.

But getting the result on time is complicated.

In Réunion, for example, laboratories are totally saturated, as in mainland France.

Some travelers therefore manufacture false test to take off, a practice heavily punished by law.

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"It's child's play," explains Louis.

Sitting in front of his computer, he only needs a few clicks to fake a Covid test.

One of his friends, stuck in Paris, needs it to join him in Reunion.

Using editing software, Louis replaces his own first and last names with those of his friends.

"I do not market that, I do it for my friends", this justifies the young man.

"If everything's okay you can board, they don't check. There is no machine like the counterfeit money."

A widespread or marginal phenomenon?

The authorities cannot quantify the exact number of offenders and fraudsters act with total impunity.

The issue is taken very seriously by Air Austral.

"We had some doubts about the documents, especially concerning the dates. We have repeatedly asked the laboratories for confirmation," says company spokesperson Stéphanie Bégère.

"It is not that simple either and it is not the role of the company."

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The prefect of Réunion, Jacques Billant, recognizes that it is difficult to fight against the phenomenon, especially since it is impossible to measure: "If they do it it is because they do not respect the law , so they don't advertise it. "

Difficult to say whether this practice is marginal or more widespread "I saw that it corresponded to a reality since there were some testimonies. It is completely irresponsible", he blurted out.

Faced with the difficulties in spotting fraudsters, a group of Reunionese doctors appealed to the French overseas ministry.

They want saliva tests to be authorized, the results of which will take less time for travelers to obtain.