France readies COVID tests for travellers from at-risk countries

France’s busiest airport was on Friday preparing to start testing passengers for COVID-19 on arrival from high-risk countries, a move that could reduce the need for quarantine measures causing pain to the tourism industry across Europe.

From around 6 a.m. on Saturday morning, Paris public hospital official Benjamin Paumier will lead a team of about 30 testers working out of a makeshift space near baggage reclaim at Charles de Gaulle airport.

Anyone landing from one of 12 countries identified by the French government will be required to visit the testers. One worker will record their contact details, then direct them to a colleague who will insert a swab into their nasal passage to gather a sample for testing.

Travellers are then allowed to continue their journey. Test results will come through between 24 and 48 hours later, when travellers will be contacted by public health workers.