Covid-19: Nice will offer saliva tests for children in leisure centers

Nice will be offering saliva tests to detect Covid-19 from Wednesday to children aged 3 to 17 in its leisure centers, but without obligation, said the mayor of the city, Christian Estrosi. "We are going to propose and very strongly recommend saliva tests which can be carried out at the entrance of establishments, but a child who has not taken the test will be accepted because the law does not allow me to refuse it", specified the first magistrate of Nice.

On Friday evening, parents had received emails from the city telling them that in the absence of a test or vaccination certificate, their children would not be admitted to recreation centers, but "this is a circular poorly drafted by administration ", according to Christian Estrosi.

Apart from this saliva test, practicable at the entrance of establishments or in a dedicated center, and which will only be requested once a week, parents can also present a certificate of vaccination for their child or of recovery if it has been infected with the coronavirus.

A health pass required for employees

Vaccination has been open to 12-18 year olds since June 15. The staff of these municipal establishments will, on the other hand, have to present a health pass to be employed there. These measures, according to Christian Estrosi, aim above all to "avoid closures which could be dramatic for children who do not go on vacation and for working families". Cases of Covid-19 have been detected in recent days in three municipal centers welcoming children in Nice.

These screening measures concern some 33 municipal centers and municipal holiday camps (for 3,200 places) and 22 community centers (1,500 places). Christian Estrosi also specifies working on a municipal decree "prohibiting orchestra, DJ or music favoring the fact that people get up and dance" in establishments with a terrace or a beach in the public domain.