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Change of gear: faced with the rapid spread of Covid-19 in nursing homes, the government will launch a massive screening operation for staff and residents, a measure called for weeks by industry professionals to "break the chain of contamination" . But in concrete terms, how will this screening be organized? With what means and at what speed? Our explanations.
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The principle is simple: as soon as there is a first case of contamination, all the other residents are tested, as well as the staff who work in the establishment. With logistics reinforcements each time: mobile laboratories come to the residences to carry out the tests. The health reserve, and in particular the town doctors, will be called upon for this exercise.
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But for the moment, no question of generalizing these tests to the 7,500 Ehpad that France has. "We have to be tailor-made, because each structure has a different epidemic situation," said a relative of the Minister of Health. This is not the opinion of Pascal Champvert, president of the Association of Directors of the Service for the Elderly: "that at first, this is happening in establishments affected by the coronavirus, we accept it. a second step will be required to screen all the elderly and the staff. "
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After these tests, there will be a sort in the Ehpad. If a staff member is contaminated and asymptomatic, they can take care of sick residents. Finally, hotels could even be requisitioned in a second step to accommodate elderly people affected by the coronavirus.