France to begin Covid saliva tests at schools, universities after winter break

Saliva tests for Covid-19 are to be administered in French schools and universities after mid-term vacations end in the coming weeks. The specifics of how the tests will be deployed are expected to be announced later this week.

The saliva tests will have to be sampled in the laboratory just like the PCR tests. PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP

The national health authority, Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), is expected to announce its opinion in the next few days on the saliva tests, which give less rapid results than antigenic tests.

"They will still have to be analysed in the laboratory," French Health Minister Olivier Véran said last week.

"We are going to multiply screening activity, in particular in schools, but also in universities," Véran told a press conference.

The minister said that, once the health body gives its approval for the deployment, "we can carry out several hundred thousand tests by saliva sampling".

Véran emphasised that the saliva test is less unpleasant to undergo than the nasal swab, especially for children. 

3/3 #COVID19 | Tests RT-PCR salivaires

À venir
▪ Définition des conditions techniques de réalisation : importante hétérogénéité dans les résultats selon les kits utilisés, protocoles d'extraction...
↪ Les études en cours permettront une mise à jour des indications des tests

— Haute Autorité de santé (@HAS_sante) January 23, 2021

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"On the other hand, the examination then continues in the laboratory," the minister added. He has ruled out the use in schools of rapid saliva tests, which give a result in 40 minutes.

"It would be great if we could have saliva tests that give you a result in a few minutes, but at this stage, the studies are not in favour of their use, because the sensitivity of such tests is too low," he explained.

The national health authority had given the go-ahead to one rapid saliva test and to another type of saliva test which requires laboratory analysis. However, these tests have been approved only for people with symptoms.

On 23 January, the HAS announced that it was working on further evaluations of the saliva tests to see if they could also be extended to people without symptoms.

Meanwhile, 460 more Covid-19 related deaths were recorded in hospitals in France on Monday. This was the highest daily figure in 2021. The total number of deaths due to the disease in France stands at 79,423.

(with AFP)