As the coronavirus epidemic is massive, many people are regretting the lack of testing on a big scale on the French population. Measures already set in many countries such as South Korea.
But since March 19th, 2020, a laboratory in Neuilly-sur-Seine and a laboratory in Lisses, Essonne, have opened two drive-through medical sites like in fast-food restaurants. But instead of getting a BigMac, medical staff members wiling to be tested for coronavirus can get a quick test while staying in their cars.
Yes, these drive-through coronavirus testing sites are not devoted for the entire population, for now, it’s for health professionals and vulnerable people with a prescription.
The idea is simple, members of the medical staff and vulnerable patients stay at the wheel of their car on a special parking spot. A doctor – in full protective gear – performs the test through the car window with a swab introduced in the patient’s nostril. The sample is then sent to a laboratory and the results of the test will be known 5 hours later.
No contact between the doctor and the patient to limit the risk of the propagation of the virus and of contamination.
On April 4th, Le Parisien announced the opening of several drive-through testing centers in Île-de-France, this time open to the general public like in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, L'Isle-Adam, Eragny and Cergy in Val d'Oise. These testing operations - on parking lots - have been launched by the Biofutur laboratories adding that tests will be performed as long as stock lasts. In Taverny too, a drive-through testing site has opened but is reserved for people showing symptoms.
As for Paris, the drive through testing site has been set up this past March 27th in the courtyard of the 17th arrondissement town hall. This drive is reserved for health professionals (hospital staff and urban doctors).
The latter can make an appointment on Doctolib for a test (by car or by foot) from Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The test takes 10 minutes and results are emailed to the patient within 48 hours.
This kind of drive-through testing site is already implemented in other countries such as South Korea, Israel and even Germany.
