Not sure if the staff at your pharmacy will know if their test meets British standards. Photo: Staukestock / Shutterstock
Reader question: I know that it is now possible to perform a lateral flow antigen test in France before entering the UK. They are faster and cheaper, but do they meet the required standards?
In addition, the test must meet the performance criteria of ≥ 97% specificity and ≥ 80% sensitivity when the viral load exceeds 100,000 copies/ml.
Many pharmacies across France provide rapid antigen testing services, and tourists only need 25 euros. This is cheaper than PCR testing, which costs 43.89 Euros.
Unfortunately, the only reliable way to determine whether an antigen test sold in a French pharmacy meets British performance standards is to ask the pharmacy.
You can explain that you are traveling to the UK, so you need a “test antigénique”, which can be “répondre aux normes de performance de spécificité ≥97%, sensibilité ≥80% à des chargeviruses supérieures à 100000 copies/ml”.
Connexion called 10 pharmacies across France, but none of them were able to determine whether their antigen tests met British standards.
Pharmacie Centrale Servannaise of Saint-Malo stated that they firmly believe that their antigen test will be accepted into the UK.
Several other pharmacies, such as Pharmacie la Flèche in Bordeaux and Pharmacie Lafayette Alienor in Perigueux, stated that they believe their tests will meet the standard because customers will receive a certificate with a QR code compatible with the French Health Pass.
It is unclear how airlines or travel authorities will check whether the official rapid antigen test issued by French pharmacies meets British standards.
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Post time: Aug-09-2021