LFT Shortage France9 Dec 2021 14:06
'Pharmacies across France are reporting high demand Covid lateral flow tests due to a rise in people requesting tests for themselves, contact cases, and children as the fifth wave continues.
Official health authority figures show that the daily number of lateral flow (rapid antigen or antigéniques tests in French) and PCR tests being taken rose by almost 40% in the last week of November (November 22-28), compared to the week before, to reach more than four million.
During that week (November 22-28), an average of 37,000 new cases were being confirmed per day. This has now risen by more than 50% since the start of December.
The latest statistics available show that on December 7, over 59,000 new cases were recorded.
One pharmacist in the Austerlitz station in Paris, Mireille Grand, told Le Monde that she had been informed of a “national shortage” of tests, and would need to make do with the stock she already has, despite the rising demand and long queues outside.
Brice Laurin, another pharmacist, in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, said: “This is the first time since I’ve been doing tests that I have had this problem getting hold of them. All my suppliers are running out. One wholesaler got me a box this morning, but it means always having to be on your toes.
“Yesterday, we had almost nothing for a few hours so I had to start prioritising people for testing.”'