After a delay widely denounced at the height of the epidemic, France is now able, in theory, to carry out 700,000 screenings per day to track down the coronavirus. The stocks are there, there is no shortage of tests. But the shortage now is that of staff. There are not enough people in the laboratories to take care of the patients and it can sometimes take four days to be tested. "In recent days there has been an increase in requests for which we cannot cope," confirms biologist Anthony Mouchère to Europe 1.
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The man is one of those who raised the alarm. He is the patron of a network of seven laboratories in the north of Nantes and also representative of the union of biologists in the Pays de la Loire. And his observation is that there are not enough staff. "This sampling must be done by qualified personnel who correspond to biologists or nurses. This personnel is very requested by all establishments, in particular the hospitals which currently recruit many nurses", explains Anthony Mouchère.
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"It risks creating dissatisfaction"
Many also went on vacation. However, demand is not weakening. Some airlines are calling for a recent test to fly. Massive screening campaigns are launched, as in Mayenne. However, there are already between two and three days of waiting in the main laboratory in Laval.
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There is an urgent need to get better organized, argues François Blanchecotte, president of the union of biologists. "It is true that it risks creating dissatisfaction by saying that we are not able to meet demand," he explains. "So the first thing is to prioritize people who have symptoms. It must be said again. Because they are the ones who eventually have contact cases and can [cause screening] of other people around."
François Blanchecotte calls for a white support plan for laboratories in order to be ready in the event of a second wave.