The Fauriel college in Saint-Etienne, in the Loire, performed a first saliva test on Tuesday.

The process is less inviting than the PCR but much simpler and many students have come.

The fact of not having to receive a cotton swab in the nose seems to have convinced the college students.

Saliva tests are attractive.

Introduced since the start of the week in schools, they aim to facilitate the screening of Covid cases in the educational environment.

Less invasive than their predecessors, the PCRs, they are more popular with students.

At the Fauriel college in Saint-Etienne, in the Loire, around one hundred tests were carried out on a single day, Tuesday.

All were negative but good habits seem to have been taken. 

>> LIVE

-

Follow the evolution of the situation Wednesday February 24

"It's simpler and less unpleasant"

In the multi-purpose hall of the college, the nurses welcomed the students in small groups.

Most have already had a nose test in recent months.

It is therefore necessary above all to explain the new process.

"I'm going to need five milliliters of salivary fluid," explains a nurse.

For this, there is a very precise method that she repeats to each child.

"Mouth closed, you sniff three times strongly to bring down what you have in your throat and you spit to make sure to fill this tube up to the line", she explains.

>> Find the morning show of the day in replay and podcast here

The description is not very appetizing but easier to follow and sweeps away the hesitations of many students.

"It's simpler and less unpleasant. It's a little disgusting but there is no effort to be made", admits Lydia, a third year student.

Same story for Matteo.

He believes that "it's easier to spit than to have the cotton swab in your nose. It doesn't hurt. You spit and it's over."

"There will be more applications and we will test more"

In total, around 100 students out of the 400 in college were authorized by their parents to perform the saliva test, since this requires their written authorization.

Marie-Ange Chambouvet, school nurse, welcomes this good news made possible by the change of method.

CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS

> Are private parties really prohibited with the curfew?

> Coronavirus: a universal vaccine available "towards the end of the year"

> The English variant would cause slightly different symptoms

> Audio, webcams ... When technology adapts to teleworking

> Containment is good for the planet

"The process is more attractive because it is less scary. Children have already said that they would agree to be taken because it was not invasive. There will be more applications and we will test more", believes -she.

Still, this method is less reliable than PCR but more easily replicable.

The motivation of college students is therefore essential to have long-term results.