Michel Barnier, Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon call for reinstating free tests

At a time when the coronavirus epidemic is on the rise again dramatically, the candidate for the nomination LR Michel Barnier, the candidate for RN Marine Le Pen and that of LFI Jean-Luc Mélenchon called on Tuesday for the restoration of free tests for better “prevention”. “This virus which returns is very aggressive, I think that it will be necessary to return on the free of the tests for the unvaccinated”, estimated on franceinfo the former European commissioner Michel Barnier.

“We must adapt, anticipate”, and for that “redo free tests so that we know, because it is also a way of preventing”, he added, insisting on the fact that “the prevention always costs less than repair ”. On France Inter, Marine Le Pen criticized the fact that the so-called “comfort” tests remain chargeable.

According to the head of the RN, it is a decision “morally reprehensible and stupid” because “one does not fight against a pandemic by preventing a part of the population from being able to test themselves for lack of financial means”. “Castex positive for Covid proves that vaccinating does not solve everything. Need to restore free tests, as for him, ”Jean-Luc Mélenchon also reacted on Twitter Monday evening when he learned that Prime Minister Jean Castex was positive for Covid.

“Nothing on the question of prevention”

Since October 15, Covid-19 screening tests are no longer reimbursed for people who are not fully vaccinated, with some exceptions (medical prescription, contact case, recent positive test, contraindication to the vaccine). “The vaccine certainly protects against serious forms but does not prevent contamination. (…) The question is that we must immediately restore free testing, because if you do not retest, you cannot detect who is sick or not ”, pleaded on Public Senate the president of the LFI group. at the National Assembly Mathilde Panot.

“The government has put everything around the health pass and does not put anything on the issue of prevention”, she accused, adding that “we must stop with the vaccination obligation” and “with the health pass which gives an illusion of security ”. “There is no point in people not having these tests (…) Free testing is an essential tool in the fight against the epidemic; we absolutely have to put back this free, ”insisted Mathilde Panot.