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are mostly in elderly people over the age of 80 with or without existing nose and performing the analyses on the Science Centre’s machine. This
medical issues. There is also probably a seasonal effect. However, there is to compare the results with conventional PCR tests on nasopharyngeal
are some very elderly people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and swabs. It is real clinical research work done by the rules, on a mixed group
recovered – there is no absolute rule. of over 1,500 patients. This is an important study that will be published if
The Department of Health Affairs (DASA) has been at the epicentre of the results are interesting. At the same time, we are trying an antigenic
the crisis management... test, Elisa, manufactured in Monaco by Stark. This company has a patent
AB: For the past year, we have been managing the importation of masks, to screen for oral cancer, suitable for the detection of viral antigens.
testing kits and vaccinations. Staff from the DASA were called to run
and manage the various different centres (Leo Ferré, Auditorium and What should we expect the scars and collateral damage of this
Grimaldi Forum). We currently have a stock of nine million surgical masks pandemic to look like?
and FFP2 masks, stored in a secret location, as well as lab coats and AB: There will be a lot of psychological scars, even though there has
hospital caps, that we can distribute as necessary. We are still sending not necessarily been an increase in hospital or psychiatric admissions.
out masks to the public. EV: A lot of people have also postponed their medical treatment. There
was a catch-up period after the first lockdown but now a number of
What have you learned regarding treatments? operations and examinations have once again been put off. People are
AB: Over the past year, we have seen progress in the way patients are afraid to go to hospital. Over the next few years, we will see whether there
cared for, which has meant fewer cases in the Princess Grace Hospital will be an increase in deaths caused by delays in treatment.
(CHPG)’s intensive care unit; it is thanks to an increased monitoring of
patients at home. For example, two mobile teams, in conjunction with What is the point of examining waste water?
the Monaco Red Cross, can be sent to patients’ homes, if needs be, as EV: It is a complementary pandemic monitoring tool, along with medical
a supplement to follow-up on the phone. surveillance – we note that the two curves match.

Is hydroxychloroquine no longer used?
AB: The CHPG took part in some collaborative research with France.
A certain number of patients were included in the clinical studies and
were able to benefit from a certain number of medical treatments. As
in France, the use of hydroxychloroquine was monitored in Monaco.
All studies completed tend to demonstrate the lack of efficacy of this
treatment against Covid-19. There are other trials taking place to improve
treatment for Covid-19 patients. We are looking at progress in two specific
areas: patients with a high-risk of serious symptoms are given heparin
to prevent embolisms; and Covid-19 patients hospitalised with severe
respiratory problems are given corticosteroids, the use of which was
debated at the start of the pandemic. Corticosteroids have now been
shown to be effective against severe forms of the illness, when the use
of oxygen is required.

In terms of tests, the latest thing is a saliva test?
EV: A distinction must be made between the sampling method and the
analysis method. First cells are collected from the nasopharynx, mouth
or oropharynx. Then comes the analysis, with two families of tests: tests
which seek to identify the antigen of the virus (for example the RATs
which are carried out in pharmacies); and those which seek to identify its
genome (the famous PCR, which remains the test of reference). There are
teams around the world that have looked for the virus in saliva using the
RAT/PCR techniques and have succeeded in highlighting it with results
close to nasopharyngeal sampling. The downside is that for a single
saliva sample, the manipulation takes between five and 15 minutes.
Without self-administered tests, we are a long way off mass screening.

The Scientific Centre of Monaco (CSM) has carried out its own study.
What is the result of that? © Depositphotos/AndrewLozovyi
AB: The current study, Cordages, involves searching for cells on the side
of the mouth without touching the throat and without going through the
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