• Since last week, a new protocol has been gradually applied in schools: in the event of a positive Covid-19 case, the class is no longer closed but all students must be tested.

  • If the result is negative, the child returns to class.

    If he is positive, he must remain isolated for ten days.

  • Are the self-tests accepted?

    Where to take a saliva sample?

    Can I request a partial activity from my employer?

    20 Minutes

    answers questions that parents may ask.

Is there a risk of finding endless queues in front of laboratories in the cold?

Possible given that children - for the time being not eligible for vaccination under the age of 12 (except the very vulnerable to Covid-19) - may have to do a number of tests in the coming weeks.

Firstly because the fifth wave seems to particularly affect the youngest.

According to a study by the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (DREES) published Thursday, a quarter of the four million tests validated from November 22 to 28 concern people under the age of 15.

"This increase in the share of the number of positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants attributable to under 15s in the context of an epidemic outbreak seems specific to the 5th wave", specifies the Drees.

In addition, the new school protocol will be applied everywhere from this Monday.

All children attending kindergarten and elementary school no longer see their class close from the first confirmed case of Covid-19.

They can continue to go to school as long as they test negative.

But what kind of test to do?

Where can I find a saliva test? 

20 Minutes

helps parents.

If there is a case of Covid-19 in my child's classroom, what type of test should I do?

First requirement, therefore: to return to school, you must present the principal with a negative test.

Eligible tests are RT-PCR tests on nasopharyngeal or saliva sample, RT-LAMP (but the HAS considered that these saliva tests were less reliable than PCR), or antigenic on nasopharyngeal sample.

Please note, self-tests (antigenic), even supervised by a healthcare professional, are not accepted.

Good news: all these tests remain free for minors.

They can be carried out with authorized city professionals, in medical biology laboratories and in pharmacies.

What if I don't want to test my child?

In this case, he will not be welcomed for seven days at the school.

Normally, he will be able to follow the courses remotely.

To see if the teachers will have the time and the energy to offer both in-class and distance lessons ...

Where can I find a saliva test?

Saliva tests are preferred for children under 6, because they are neither painful nor impressive.

As there are only PCR saliva tests, they cannot be bought and carried out in pharmacies.

It will be necessary to go to the laboratories that offer it.

Are they reliable? According to the French National Authority for Health, the sensitivity of these RT-PCR saliva tests is estimated at 85%, which is slightly lower (between 3 and 11 points) than the nasopharyngeal sample. To find out the list of laboratories that offer these saliva tests, you can do a search on santé.fr. After typing "screening", you can enter your department or geolocate yourself, then filter with only "saliva tests". A list will be displayed showing the available places, whether to make an appointment or not, and especially the times.

Second possibility: if you do not want to take your feverish child out, some laboratories offer to take a saliva sample at home.

Either the laboratory technician comes or you will find a kit to carry out the self-sampling.

As long as you follow the instructions carefully.

The child must not have eaten or drunk, and not brushed his teeth for thirty minutes.

He does not need to cough or clear his throat, just fill his mouth with saliva, hold it for thirty seconds, then spit into a tube or vial at least 1 to 2 ml.

If it is difficult for the child to cough up, the saliva can be collected with a pipette.

The collected sample, placed in a sterile vial, must be taken to the laboratory and analyzed within 24 hours.

What to do after obtaining the test result?

For PCR tests, according to the latest figures from the DREES, the result arrives in 97% of cases within 24 hours.

For an antigen produced in a pharmacy, you will have the answer in 15 to 30 minutes.

First scenario: the result is negative.

Parents must then notify and send the document to the person in charge of the establishment.

And the child will be able to go back to school and continue to attend extracurricular activities.

On the other hand, if the result is positive for Covid-19, even without symptoms, the child will have to stay at home for ten days of isolation.

If my child is infected, should I isolate myself as a parent?

It depends.

If you are not vaccinated or if you are immunocompromised, you should self-isolate immediately and for up to seven days after the patient's recovery date, i.e. 17 days from the onset of symptoms or the patient's test.

If you are vaccinated against Covid-19, you are not required to self-isolate.

On the other hand, it is strongly recommended to monitor your condition, to test yourself at the slightest symptom and to strengthen the barrier measures.

Last case: your child is infected with the Omicron variant.

Knowing that few cases have appeared in France, but that this figure should climb quickly, you absolutely must isolate yourself.

If my child is infected, can I be arrested?

Partial activity, which was an option until now, is no longer valid. Indeed, contacted, the Ministry of Labor specifies: “Now that the rule has changed - when a child is sick, the whole class is tested - there is no longer any partial activity for a closed class. If you test positive for Covid-19, you are on sick leave. If, on the other hand, your test is negative and you are able to telecommute, you continue your activity. "

However, the definition of impossible telework is not the same for everyone.

There are obviously certain professions (caregivers, craftsmen…) for which the distance is unthinkable.

But for some executives, keeping a sick 6-year-old is not easy.

"It is up to the employee to negotiate with his employer to explain that with a young child, he is not able to carry out his tasks", explains Elisabeth Borne's office.

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  • Screening

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