The announcement had caused panic among the French in the United States who hoped to return to France this summer: to present a negative test for coronavirus dating less than 72 hours before taking the plane seemed impossible to achieve. And for good reason: on site, the laboratories are overwhelmed. Clinics and testing centers generally advertised a five-day wait, or even ten in some regions.
After much criticism, the French government finally held an interministerial meeting on Thursday, July 30 and backtracked for the next five days. According to the press release from deputy Roland Lescure, ” a period of five additional days to allow the French from North America to return to France without having to justify a PCR test of less than 72 hours Has just been set up.
The test will therefore be done on arrival in France, as for other countries at risk, for trips made ” before August 5 “. The deputy ensures that the file is still in progress and discussions are continuing for French people traveling after this date.
As a reminder, according to the new decree of Monday, July 27, 2020, a PCR test (viral) carried out less than 72 hours before departure is required for travelers leaving from the United States to return to France, under penalty of being refused the boarding.
