I’m going on holiday to France soon and fretting about Covid. Specifically whether you can access a sotrovimab (monoclonal antibodies) infusion.
I am reasonably confident that the paxlovid pills are available but really wouldn’t want them if i succumbed to Covid whilst away due to having to pause the Upadacitinib for more than a week. It’s the best drug I’ve had for my condition and I wouldn’t want to upset my remission by coming off it for more than a few days.
If there’s anyolit there with experience of the French system I would love to hear from them.
Bon
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Bon1
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Just make sure you have a European Health Insurance Card…it ensures you are entitled to the same health care as a French Citizen….You need the card even if you have Travel Insurance. It is FREE…..just make sure you apply on the NHS site as there are a lot of scam sites who try to charge you,
But sorry I don’t know the present position re Covid……just hope you aren’t unfortunate enough to need to find out!
EHIC has now changed for UK citizens (available for EU citizens living in UK).
Instead ….Apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) from Gov.UK
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.
If you have a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will be valid until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you'll need to apply for a GHIC to replace it.
Mine expires soon…you can renew it Pre expiry for the replacement…but every time I try ..the site crashes! So when you come to renew yours…. Get in early!
The GHIC card may be free, but treatment in France isn’t! It is a contributory system and most medical establishments will not accept a GHIC card for the social security contribution or your personal contribution but expect you to pay 100% and claim back from the UK.
What happens is if you get sick,,,,,you get in touch with your travel insurance company & they will tell you how to proceed in the area you are in. Unless you have been in an accident & just whisked off to a hospital. If that is not the case they tell you where to see a doctor…they have a list of practitioners,& usually direct you to the clinic closest to where you are staying.
As you say, you pay the clinic with your credit card……making sure you get a receipt…then on returning to the UK the insurance company takes over to sort out the treatment you paid for…. & you get a refund of what you are due.
But as I said before ……you do need to have your own travel insurance & if you read the small print it will say if you don’t have the insurance card they won’t pay up.
But unless you are unlucky it works very smoothly…I have been unfortunate enough to need to use it in France & in Italy
That is what I meant…the CARD is free..but there are a lot of scam sites, that look just like the genuine site & they try to charge for the card….so anyone applying should make sure they are on the genuine site..& if they are asked to pay should just close down the site they are on & try again.
I had covid last April, I was told the criteria had changed on getting antivirals, I'm on enbrel and mtx. Was asked a few questions...are you on steroids or have recently been on them...no. Have you any other health condition....no. Are you on Rituximab....no. Was then told that data now shows I'm at no more risk than anyone else. To be honest I don't know if I would of taken anything anyway, it was only like a summer cold,
I agree PC….I am on Rtx…..& I’m very elderly……2 quoted reasons you are supposedly most at risk if you contract Covid.
I had Covid last December - no anti vitals as the “system” did not work too well over Christmas…& as you say…just like a summer cold……very unpleasant……but I think if you have other conditions as well as RA…..you are more at risk.
Incidentally I have not had a single Common Cold since I was diagnose with RA 20+ years ago.
I live in France and have RA, and the question has never crossed my mind!! The health system is so good that I don’t worry about things like that as I feel confident that I would get good care.
I would just phone my rheumy….who normally gets back to me the same day.
I’ll have a look what the official line is.
Edit…here you are. Print out the first page of this and carry it with you with your prescription. It says that high risk patients should be given it.
And you can book an appointment for a teleconsultation with a GP to get a prescription fairly instantly. You’ll have to pay but will get a receipt so can claim from your insurance. In French tho’! I don’t know of English speaking services.,
Quite agree with helixhelix. I also live in France and the care is superb. I doubt you’d have an issue getting the appropriate care if you’re unlucky enough to catch covid.
If only somebody could replace the grey suits in the NHS who prioritise the money they are given by all colours of Government in the wrong direction……things could be very different.
Remember France’s Health Service is not free at the point of service. Very different set up and people have to contribute - for example a GP visit is €7.50 and a serious operation can cost many, many thousands. So most people take out insurance to cover these costs.
Not sure you can compare an apple and tennis ball - apart from them being round.
It’s those 4 words “ people have to contribute” to see a GP.
Until we in the UK have a generation who realise a system devised in the 1940’s is just not going to work 70+ years later……those who can afford it will see doctors privately…& those who can’t will join the queue to see whatever doctors remain in whatever remains of the NHS.
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