France plans mass Covid-19 blood test post-confinement

Massive blood testing would be intended to determine who has been affected - even unknowingly - by Covid-19, and therefore - it is suggested - who is likely to be immune. It would also be able to tell who has not contracted the illness at all.

It would therefore provide a picture of how far the virus has spread throughout the population, and show people thought to be immune, and those still at risk. This would help inform the government on the precautions to take as a result.

The blood tests would be done at all normal laboratories - for example, in the same way as blood tests are normally done for cholesterol levels - a ministerial councillor told BMFTV.

The blood tests would be done for all French people, who would go to a laboratory voluntarily themselves.

Currently, the technology that would allow these tests is not ready, but it is hoped that it will be, after the period of confinement comes to an end.

Health minister Olivier Véran briefly mentioned the plan when answering questions at the Assemblée Nationale.

He said: “We are now perfectly ready, with a team of biologists from our country and from the world over, to develop a blood test to determine both who has been ill, and who has not. There would be no limit there; tens, hundreds of thousands of tests could be done everyday.”

Confinement form links:

• Main form for individuals and self-employed people: Download
• Form for salaried workers going to their place of work, to be filled in and signed by the employer: Download

Read more:

• New confinement forms: English translations
• France issues new confinement form to include time