Covid-19 France: tests now paying for the unvaccinated

Audio 01:14

Covid-19 screening tests remain free in France for vaccinated people, minors and contact cases, after October 15, 2021, which marks the end of free access for the unvaccinated. AFP - DENIS CHARLET

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

As planned by the health authorities, Covid-19 screening tests are no longer reimbursed since Friday, October 15, except in exceptional cases.

The French who refuse the vaccine will now have to pay for their tests.

Report in a Parisian pharmacy.

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With

Aram Mbengue,

from RFI's France service

At midday this Friday, the tent set up in front of the Aprium pharmacy in the 16th arrondissement of the capital is desperately empty.

And for good reason, you must now pay 44 euros for a PCR test and 25 euros for an antigen test.

A measure that the customers of the pharmacy approve.

" 

I think it's very good,"

said one of them, " 

because there were a lot of people who took advantage of the situation to get free tests done, to be able to go to a club, or to go to the movies. .

Well, like that now, they're going to have to pay.

 For another client, " 

it motivates people to get vaccinated, so it may be a good thing in that regard

 ."

► 

To read also: France: should we charge for PCR tests

?

" 

Drop between 50 and 70% of tests

 "

But while waiting to see if the end of free tests has actually encouraged the reluctant to be vaccinated, pharmacist Fréderic Desmoulins has already observed a decrease in tests carried out daily: " 

We have gone from 70 to 100 tests per day. , there we are at 20, you see.

So I think that in a few days, there will be no more a tent in front of the pharmacies if it continues like this.

So we are on a drop between 50 and 70% of the tests.

 " 

Note that screening tests are always free for minors, contact cases and vaccinated people.

But, to date, nearly 7 million French people are not completely or not at all vaccinated against Covid-19.

► 

To read also: France: the Ségur of health and the anti-Covid tests lead to the budget of the Social Security

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