Lunchtime News Tuesday 15th December 2020

News

Auction in aid of victims of Storm Alex - An auction organised by OGC Nice football club and in aid of the victims of those affected by Storm Alex kicked off on Sunday 13th.

The online sale of Nice-Rennes football shirts signed by players is just a click away at matchwornshirt.com and lasts until Sunday 20th December at 9pm. In the first 24 hours, the auction exceeded 13,000 euros.

Flu vaccination campaign in Monaco - The fourth stage of the flu vaccination campaign has begun in the Principality. After a first phase started on October 15th, with priority given to people over 65 living in the Principality, a second phase on November 3rd was dedicated to all Monegasques and residents, and a third on November 23rd to the all employees. Now all people wishing to be vaccinated against the flu, whether they are residents of the Principality can obtain a vaccine in pharmacies in the Principality, with or without medical prescription. The vaccine will be fully reimbursed by the patient's social security fund.

The objective of the Monegasque health authorities is to get as many people as possible vaccinated and therefore to do everything possible to limit the combined effects of the two viruses which could circulate at the same time.

Online pre-registration site for Covid-19 vaccine in Nice - The city of Nice has from today launched its online pre-registration site for the Covid-19 vaccination. Mobilized since the start of the Covid-19 health crisis, Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropolis, Deputy President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region has put in place actions aimed at protecting all the people of Nice with information campaigns, distribution of masks, screening and support for vulnerable people.

And now in support of the health authorities with the implementation of the vaccination campaign, the city of Nice, in conjunction with the ARS, is launching an online pre-registration platform in order to identify residents wishing to get vaccinated. For more information go to https://vaccincovid19.nice.fr/VC19/

Nice Airport - Nice airport has signed a three-year long-term partial activity agreement (APLD). Figures for 2020 show that traffic in Nice is expected to peak at around 4.5 million passengers that’s three times less than in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic

The APLD expects employees to work an average of 60%, with a pay cut of around 18%, and the possibility of returning to 100% when in employment. The company of the Airports of the Côte d´Azur (ACA), a private group which manages Nice, Cannes and Saint-Tropez, employs nearly 600 direct employees. This is ten times less than the Aéroports de Paris group, which announced the elimination of 11% of its workforce.

French Prime Minister has advised children to not go to school on Thursday and Friday - French Prime Minister Jean Castex has this morning suggested that children do not go to school on Thursday and Friday in order to limit the risk of contamination of Covid-19 at Christmas.  Following the recommendation from France’s Scientific Council Castex suggests isolating eight days preceding Christmas Eve especially those planning to visit vulnerable people at Christmas.

During the interview on French radio Europe 1, Jean Castex also indicated that if the health situation does not improve after the holidays, he cannot guarantee that bars, restaurants and cultural places will open on January 20th. The Prime Minister expressed uncertainty. " The head of government assures the French  that he "understands" the feeling of injustice felt by these professionals  but answers: "It's heartbreaking, but we have no choice".

Asked about the economic victims caused by this crisis, he admits that "it is heartbreaking, but our role is to limit the health and economic impact. 

Health situation gradually deteriorating in some regions – Meanwhile a report from Public Health France has shown that in recent days certain regions of France have seen the health situation gradually deteriorate notably in Normandy, Grand Est and Bourgogne Franche-Comté.

In the Grand Est and in Normandy, two areas which had been rather spared by the second wave have seen the number of cases increase by more than 20% in one week.

Meanwhile, the regions most affected by the second wave - Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur and the Hauts-de-France - seem spared by the current rebound of the epidemic.

Super Mamie 2020 - 82-year-old Monique Simonini from Marseille has been crowned Super Mamie 2020.

Eleven candidates, from all over France competed in the 24th Super Granny virtual competition.

The competition took place in three stages one in which the Super Granny had to take on a challenge to show what she does. La Marseillaise chose to demonstrate boxing and self-defense.

And Finally

A team of scientists from the UK have said that they are preparing for an urgent mission to the world’s biggest iceberg, which is on a collision course with the island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

The A-68A iceberg, larger than Luxembourg, broke off from the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica back in 2017 and has since been drifting towards the island.

The danger is that the iceberg threatens to wreck the rich ecosystem around South Georgia by tearing up the sea floor.

Researchers at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) will fly out to the Falklands on 11 January, quarantine due to Covid-19 and then embark on a three-day voyage to the iceberg onboard the research ship the RRS James Cook.