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France records 6th consecutive daily fall in coronavirus intensive care patients

France has for the sixth day in a row seen a fall in the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care but the pandemic "remains very active" said the country's health chief.

Published: 14 April 2020 19:30 CEST

France records 6th consecutive daily fall in coronavirus intensive care patients

Photo: AFP

France's Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon confirmed that the country “has seen a plateau for several days now, but the pandemic remains very active”.

In his daily briefing, Salomon revealed that 541 deaths in hospital have been recorded in the last 24 hours.

The figures were up from the 335 and 315 recorded over the previous two days, but followed a pattern seen in recent weeks of lower figures reported at the weekend followed by a spike on Monday. Easter Monday is a public holiday in France.

Daily figures were not available for deaths in care homes, but the total number of hospital deaths now stands at 10,129 while deaths recorded in care homes stand at 5,600, taking the overall figure to 15,729.

France is one of the few countries in Europe to include deaths in care homes in its official statistics, Spain, Italy and England only count deaths in hospital in their official coronavirus death tolls.

Once again, the total number of patients in intensive care fell, down 91 from the previous day marking the sixth consecutive fall. Experts say this figure is crucial as it provides an indicator for the days to come.

It is against this background of a plateau in the number of deaths and steadily falling intensive care rates that France has begun to talk about lifting its strict lockdown rules.

President Emmanuel Macron on Monday night told the nation that lockdown will be extended until May 11th.

But he also laid out a roadmap for the gradual reopening of schools and businesses, if the health situation continues to improve and people continue to obey the lockdown rules.

READ ALSO France's coronavirus lockdown – what happens next?

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Do I need a prescription to get antibiotics in France?

In most cases, people in France requiring antibiotics will need a prescription (ordonnance) from a doctor.

However, there are two exceptions, according to a new decree published in France’s Journal Officiel on Tuesday.

The updated law allows French pharmacists to dispense antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription for two common infections; cystitis (UTIs) and tonsillitis/strep throat (angines in French), which can both be confirmed by a test at the pharmacy.

If you suspect you have either of these infections, you can go to the pharmacy to get a test, known as a Test Rapide d’Orientation Diagnostique or TROD.

If the test is positive, the pharmacist will be able to prescribe antibiotics without you having to visit a doctor. You can visit the pharmacy on a walk-in basis, with no need for an appointment, and at least one qualified pharmacist should be on the premises at all times.

The move comes after a relaxation on the rules around vaccines allowing pharmacists to give eight common vaccines without a doctor’s prescription – in addition to the Covid and seasonal flu vaccines which can already be accessed at a pharmacy without prescription.

Pharmacists in France receive a minimum of six years of training and can offer medical advice for a range of conditions, as well as dispensing medication.

READ MORE: More than prescriptions: 11 things you can do at a French pharmacy

What about prescriptions?

For all other types of conditions requiring antibiotics, a prescription will still be required.

In France, only doctors (both general practitioners and specialists), dental surgeons (chirurgiens-dentistes) and midwives (sages-femmes) are authorised to prescribe medicines.

As such, you would need an appointment with one of these professionals to get a prescription.

What if I’m just visiting France?

French residents would normally go to their registered doctor if they fall ill, but people who are either just visiting France or who are not registered in the French health system can access doctors too.

If you do have the carte vitale – the card confirming that you are registered in the French health system – you can still book an appointment with a doctor, although you won’t be entitled to any state reimbursement. You would have to either pay the costs yourself (€26 for a standard GP appointment, plus the cost of the prescription) or claim on your health or travel insurance if you have it.

Booking a GP appointment can be as simple as phoning a local doctor or using an online service such as Doctolib. You may also call up SOS Médecins if you want a home visit, but this costs more than a usual visit.

READ MORE: How to make a doctor’s appointment in France

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