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HEALTH

New cases of Coronavirus emerge in Dordogne after ‘dozens attend funeral gathering’

Several new cases of coronavirus have been detected in the southwestern French region of Dordogne that have been linked to a gathering after a funeral service.

Published: 9 May 2020 12:41 CEST
New cases of Coronavirus emerge in Dordogne after 'dozens attend funeral gathering'
Photo: SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS / AFP

Authorities suspect the virus was spread after dozens of people attended a gathering after funeral service in contravention of coronavirus lockdown restrictions. 

According to France Blue radio the funeral service was attended by 20, the maximum allowed under current restrictions but a gathering at the family house after the service “was attended by tens of people”.

The cases emerged after one person in Dordogne tested positive for the virus on April 30th in the small village of Vegt.

Health authorities for the Nouvelle Aquitaine region (ARS) tracked the patient's movements and the people they had been contact with.

It emerged during their investigation that the patient had attended the funeral service and gathering in the village of Eglise-Neuve-de-Vergt at the end of April.

IN PICTURES: France prepares to lift its lockdown

After testing more than 100 people, authorities found eight confirmed cases of the virus. Each of those who tested positive had no symptoms of the virus and none are considered in a serious condition.

Dordogne like much of the south west of France has largely been free of the epidemic which has mainly hit the Paris region and northern and eastern France.

But the small outbreak comes just days before France will begin easing restrictions, put in place on March 17th.

Local radio prefect of Dordogne Frédéric Périssat denounced the breach of lockdown restrictions, telling media outlet BFM TV “this is really an illustration of what we don't want in the weeks to come”.

“It's a case of slackening off,” said the prefect.

Authorities in Dordgone are continuing to trace anyone who may have had contact with those who were infected, with full results to be known on Sunday. 

Since March 17th French people have been confined to their homes and only allowed to go outside for essential reasons such as shopping. All kinds of gatherings have been banned and even after May 11th they will be limited to 10 people in public and private as the government bids to prevent a second wave of the epidemic. 

Authorities in Dordogne are due to hold a press conference on Saturday afternoon to reveal more details of the cases.

 

Member comments

  1. We have the same problem in our village. The people concerned seem to think the laws don’t apply to them and it’s just a laugh.

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HEALTH

The different ways you can make a doctor’s appointment in France

Booking a medical appointment in France can be time-consuming – especially if you are new to the country and are looking for an English-speaking doctor.

Published: 13 May 2024 16:52 CEST
The different ways you can make a doctor's appointment in France

You do not need a carte vitale to book a doctor’s appointment in France – anyone who needs medical help while in the country is entitled to it, but you may not be entitled to any reimbursement if you are not part of the social security system.

Booking a GP’s appointment can be as simple as phoning up your friendly neighbourhood GP, or using an online service such as Doctolib. 

It helps a lot, if you have a médecin traitant – an attending GP, who adds you (and your family, if they can) to their list of patients. 

READ ALSO Explained: How to register with a doctor in France

It is not always easy to find one. Some parts of the country are short of GPs, which means doctors’ lists can fill up very quickly. But it is important that anyone who lives in France is registered with a named GP, especially if they have a carte vitale.

As well as being the main point of contact between patients and the medical profession in all its guises, it is financially responsible to be registered with a GP in France.

Reimbursement on consultations is typically 70 percent through the French healthcare system, but just 30 percent for anyone without a declared doctor. Meanwhile, top-up mutuelle health insurance companies usually require you to declare a médecin traitant and if you don’t, you may not be able to receive reimbursements on certain treatments.

Bear in mind, it is your responsibility to register with a local médecin traitant. But, even after you have done so, you can still make an appointment with any doctor, anywhere in France, and arrange specialist treatment, if you need it. 

READ ALSO 5 things to know about visiting a doctor in France

How do you go about making a GP appointment in France?

There are several options.

Some health centres – more often in larger towns and cities – operate a walk-in policy. But expect waits to be lengthy. Do not, however, assume that your GP operates a system like this.

You can phone for an appointment. This is another very common method. Your GP will have their own system for making appointments – which may even include something that looks, to the uninitiated, very much like a casual walk-in policy. 

Some may have an assistant to deal with booking appointments and other administration. Others may deal with appointments themselves, and may – for example – operate some sort of triage system based on voice messages from patients. 

What about online booking systems?

And many practitioners are now attached to websites, such as Doctolib. As of 2023, about half of all GP appointments in France were made using Doctolib.

READ ALSO How to use: French medical website Doctolib

Be aware that other online booking systems are available. Doctolib is one of the best known, but your GP may be attached to another system, like the health ministry approved site ‘LeMedecin.Fr’.

This website also has a feature where you can take an immediate online consultation with whatever doctor is available at that moment. By clicking ‘Consultez en vidéo maintenant’ you will be connected to the next doctor who is free. This option may involve an additional charge between €5-10 on top of the price of the consultation, and you will be expected to pay when booking.

If you have any trouble with either of these websites, you can go through the list of registered generalists per département on the ‘Ameli’ website. If you use this option, you will need to call the doctor to see if they are open or available for appointments.

In terms of wait times, online systems have helped to significantly reduce the delay between booking and getting an appointment.

According to a 2023 study by Doctolib, about half of all GP appointments were available within three days from the time of booking on their platform.

Similarly, you can use online platforms to check the medical professional’s qualifications and languages spoken, as well as filter based on the doctor’s English abilities. However, this should be taken with a grain of salt because not every medical professional with English listed on their Doctolib page speaks fluent English. 

An increasing number of doctorsoffer video consultations, known as télémédecine in France. This allows professionals – particularly those in more rural areas – to diagnose less serious conditions remotely. This type of consultation is usually only available from those medical practices that are attached to online booking systems. 

Some pharmacies have also begun offering walk-in télémedicine consults, using ‘Medadom’ machines. More information here.

What about specialists?

In France, you book your own consultations with specialists, even if you are referred by a doctor (your GP may offer a recommendation, but won’t always). The good news is that many specialists do use online booking services. Those that do not usually have assistants to take care of the appointments.

READ ALSO: Urgent care: How to get non-emergency medical treatment in France

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