Home Article COVID-19: PARTICIPATE IN THE SCREENING AND VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

COVID-19: PARTICIPATE IN THE SCREENING AND VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

The Omicron variant, now the majority in France and more contagious than the previous strains of the virus, once again imposes new rules, when we thought we could see a way out of the crisis soon.

Physiotherapists can contribute to the collective effort by stepping up their participation in the vaccination and testing campaign. These are concrete and useful actions that health professionals can take.

A few reminders on the participation of physiotherapists in vaccination and screening campaigns for COVID-19:

Participating in COVID-19 screening

Perform antigen tests

Under the decree of 1st June 2021 prescribing the general measures necessary to manage the end of the health crisis, as requested by Mrs. Pascale Mathieu, President of the National Council from the order of massage therapists to Mr. Olivier Véran, Minister of Solidarity and Health, physiotherapists can carry out antigenic tests.

Who can test?

Physiotherapists can carry out antigen tests if they have followed specific training in carrying out the examination and in accordance with the recommendations of the French Society of Microbiology. This training must be provided by a health professional already trained in these techniques. These tests can be carried out as part of an individual diagnosis at the usual place of practice, or as part of collective screening operations.

As part of large-scale iterative screening operations organized by an educational institution or a regional health agency, physiotherapy students can also take these samples if they have validated their first year and if they exercise under the responsibility of a physiotherapist, a doctor, a dental surgeon, a midwife, a pharmacist or a nurse.

How to acquire the equipment and set up the screening site?

Physiotherapists authorized to carry out antigenic tests can obtain the necessary equipment free of charge from pharmacies on presentation of the CPS and the vital card. They must also equip themselves with FFP2 masks, gloves, eye protection, charlotte and gown.

Physiotherapists must also set up the screening location, i.e. a confidential space in order to carry out the preliminary interview, a suitable seat allowing the person to settle down for the test, a hand-washing point ( water point or hydro-alcoholic solution), disinfection of surfaces between each passage and regular ventilation of the premises. Healthcare waste with an infectious risk must be disposed of using an appropriate circuit.

What to do after taking the test?

COVID-19: PARTICIPATE IN THE CAMPAIGN SCREENING AND VACCINATION

Antigen tests can only be presented for reimbursement by the professional when the result and all the other information requested in the national screening information system, called "SI-DEP", have been recorded on the day of the completion of the examination.

The physiotherapist should inform the patient that carrying out the antigen test triggers the same process as during a PCR test, that is to say that while awaiting the results of the test, it is recommended to confine oneself to oneself, by limiting external contact and rigorously applying barrier gestures.

The results of the tests are returned by the physiotherapist.

The organization guarantees the recording of these results, the same day, in the system called "SI-DEP".

Note: in the event of a negative antigen test result, healthcare professionals should inform symptomatic people aged 65 or over and people with at least one risk factor that they are recommended to consult doctor. On the other hand, positive antigen tests no longer need to be confirmed by an RT-PCR test.

The order of January 5, 2022 amending the order of June 1st, 2021 prescribing the general measures necessary for managing the end of the health crisis and the order of December 12, 2020 amending conditions for reimbursement of the act of detection of the SARS-CoV-2 genome by gene amplification (https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000044844619) authorizes masseurs-physiotherapists to carry out rapid tests antigenic diagnostic guidance on nasal swabs in the context of individual screening of minors under 12, symptomatic or identified as contact persons.

Perform PCR tests

The decree of 1st June 2021 prescribing the general measures necessary for managing the end of the health crisis allows previously trained physiotherapists to carry out PCR tests.

Who can test?

All physiotherapists can take samples provided they have undergone prior training. This training is specific to carrying out the examination in accordance with the recommendations of the French Society of Microbiology and provided by a doctor or a medical biologist. For this, physiotherapists can approach a laboratory near their office. It is also possible to follow this training online.

Physiotherapy students can also take these samples if they have completed their first year and if they practice under the responsibility of a physiotherapist, a doctor, a dental surgeon, a midwife wife, pharmacist or nurse.