Evening Update Monday 23 March 2020

The mayor of Antibes Jean Leonetti has announced, in conjunction with the Regional Health Agency, that caregivers, nursing homes and the most fragile will receive priority for testing for Covid19. He also announced a reduction in the number of buses on the Envibus network as many buses were running empty or almost empty.


The president of the PACA region has announced free regional transport for healthcare staff tomorrow, for the duration of the confinement. They will only have to present a professional card or a certificate from their employer. Various businesses have announced that they are making changes to their services to help medical staff involved in the fight against coronavirus. Taxis in Nice have said that they will transport staff working at the CHU in Nice to the hospital free of charge. The industry body of French supermarkets has said that nursing staff will get priority access to supermarkets. Upon presentation of their professional identity card, they will be given immediate access to supermarkets at the entrance and won't have to wait at the check out. The organization's member supermarkets include Carrefour, Aldi, Auchan, Cora, Casino, Système U, Lidl and Picard and Leclerc and Intermarché will also be implementing the same measures. The SNCF has made TGV and Intercity trains free of charge for doctors, nurses and nursing assistants who are responding to solidarity calls to strengthen staff numbers in hospitals.


If you live in the Le Cannet area, you might be interested in a new list of businesses offering home delivery. The local municipality is complilng the list, which is being updated daily. You can find details at https://www.lecannet.fr/le-cannet-news/886-annuaire-des-commercants-qui-livrent-a-domicile


A 28-year-old man died on Sunday from acute respiratory distress due to the coronavirus. Recently operated on for a herniated disc, he was taking ibuprofen to relieve his pain, which can be dangerous for those suffering from coronavirus. Thierry Piche, a doctor and president of the medical committee the CHU of Nice, has issued a reminder to everyone that "the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - some of which are sold over the counter in town pharmacies - must be strictly framed by a medical prescription ".


The Mayor of Nice is being treated for coronavirus using chloroquine. As from today, he said that Nice hospital will be using the treatment on Covid-19 patients. He hopes to make it available to GPs in Nice. He said that he knew there are debates about the drug but "we are at war and we do not have time to experiment on mice for 6 months". The comments have sparked criticism from those against using the treatment, who say it is "giving false hope".  Meanwhile six doctors from the IHU infections hospital in Marseille have announced that they have decided to use the chloroquine treatment for all infected patients and will not wait for the conclusion of therapeutic studies.


The police in Menton have said that many residents are continuing to leave their homes improperly. The Commissioner said that some people had not understood the spirit of confinement. He said that "the exits must be exceptional. Citizens do not have to go shopping every day."


The Monaco government has announced public spaces such as pavements and elevators are to be disinfected to combat the coronavirus. The government said that it's important to "commit all of our teams and all of our resources to reduce the risk of contamination of Monegasques, residents and employees".


The village of Gattières in the arriere pays of Nice has taken the decision to start the nightime curfew at 9pm instead of 10pm. The local mayor announced the decision this morning and said that a siren would be sounded at 9pm each evening.


The operation to transfer patients with Covid 19 from Corsica to Marseille was begun this morning. 12 patients with Covid-19 were evacuated from Corsica by the French Navy aboard the helicopter carrier Tonnerre.


The Monte Carlo Opera has announced that, in the absence of live perfomances, it is using social media to connect with opera lovers. It will be showing highlights of previous seasons online, starting from today.
 

BUSINESS

The OECD, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, has warned that the world will take years to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Angel Gurría, the organization's secretary general, told the BBC the economic shock was already bigger than the financial crisis and it was "wishful thinking" to believe that countries would bounce back quickly. He said that a recent warning that a serious outbreak could halve global growth to 1.5% already looked too optimistic.

McDonald's is closing all of its restaurants in the UK because of the virus outbreak. The UK government had already ordered restaurants and cafes to close, but exempted takeaway food establishments. Nando's has also said that it's closed its restaurants in the UK "until further notice". Costa Coffee, Itsu and Subway also said they planned to close their UK branches as of today.


SPORT

World Athletics president Lord Coe has called for this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo to be postponed. In a letter to the president of the International Olympic Committee Lord Coe says that an Olympics in July 2020 is "neither feasible or desirable" because of the coronavirus crisis. Meanwhile, Canada has become the first major country to withdraw from the Games. Australia's Olympic team has said that it's "clear" the games cannot go ahead, and has told its athletes to prepare for the games to be postponed until next year.

The Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix, which was due to take place on 7 June, has been postponed as a result of the coronavirus crisis. The street race in Baku is the eighth race to be called off so far for the 2020 season.

Lewis Hamilton has described people who are ignoring advice on social distancing during the coronavirus crisis as "irresponsible and selfish" and said he was "so sad" about lives being lost.  Hamilton has been self-isolating, but has shown no symptoms, after coming into contact with several people who have been diagnosed with the virus.

 

Last local news

French and Riviera News Friday 29th March 2024

Poland has announced that its armed forces will "join the international coalition” to help secure the Olympic and Paralympic games in Paris. ... French and Riviera News Friday 29th March 2024 Read More

29/03/2024

Evening Update Thursday 28th March 2024

Seven people have been questioned by police in a fraud investigation relating to the loss of almost half a million euros by Nice university hospital.... Evening Update Thursday 28th March 2024 Read More

28/03/2024

French and Riviera News Thursday 28th March 2024

France's prime minister Gabriel Attal has announced that a teenage girl who falsely accused her headteacher of striking her in a heated exchange over... French and Riviera News Thursday 28th March 2024 Read More

28/03/2024

Evening Update Wednesday 27th March 2024

The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has asked for national police reinforcements to help bring the Les Moulins housing estate under control.... Evening Update Wednesday 27th March 2024 Read More

27/03/2024

French and Riviera News Wednesday 27th March 2024

The headmaster of a high school in Paris has resigned after receiving death threats on social media following an altercation with a student, which dat... French and Riviera News Wednesday 27th March 2024 Read More

27/03/2024