By the end of the week, antigenic tests, faster than PCR tests, will be available in half of French pharmacies.

They will be carried out by pharmacists, town doctors and nurses.

And the results will be available in 20 to 30 minutes.

While the circulation of the coronavirus continues, and the second wave has killed 418 people in France in the past 24 hours, a new tool has been deployed to try to contain the disease: antigenic tests, now available in pharmacies.

Faster, these will be deployed in half of pharmacies in the country by the end of the week.

They will therefore be carried out by pharmacists, city doctors or nurses.

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In pharmacies, it will be necessary to reserve a small space to carry out the sample which will be done, as for PCR, in the nose using a swab.

Except that unlike PCR tests, the result will be given in 20 to 30 minutes and not 1 to 3 days.

This will therefore make it possible to broaden screening and accelerate the famous "test-trace-isolate" triptych.

One test per week and per person

These antigenic tests are nevertheless less sensitive than PCR tests, and therefore not recommended in the event of significant risks.

"For sensitive or fragile people who could have a serious form, it is necessary to favor the PCR test to avoid missing out on what is called a false negative", confirms Carine Wolf-Thal, president of the National Council of order of pharmacists.

These antigenic tests are also less expensive: 8 euros excluding sampling against 54 euros for a PCR.

But no need for chronic hypochondriacs to rush into their pharmacy.

"It is not because you can have a result in 20 minutes that you have to come and be tested", recalls Olivier Rozaire, president of URPS-pharmacists of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

"It is one test per week and per insured. You cannot come and be tested every day, it is recorded with people's Sécu number."

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These antigen tests will also be very valuable at airports.

From Saturday, all passengers arriving from abroad, with the exception of those coming from European states, must pass them.

And 30 minutes later, they will find out whether or not they are positive for Covid-19.