Covid-19 saliva tests have begun today in schools in the Alpes Maritimes. The Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, said that 2,900 tests will be performed this week and 6,000 next week. The tests are not compulsory and are subject to parental consent. Schools are chosen by the Regional Health Agency. Volunteers from the French Civil Protection organization have been deployed to assist with the tests in collaboration with the Academie of Nice. Tests are also being carried out in schools of the Aix-Marseille Academie.
A new Covid-19 testing facility has been opened on the forecourt of the train station in the centre of Nice. It's possible to get a PCR test at the facility from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Results are provided in less than 24 hours and in 12 hours for contact cases.
The Regional Health Agency for the Paris area has ordered the cancellation of 40% of operations in the region's hospitals and clinics in order to increase the availability of intensive care beds. The number of patients in intensive care in France has reached its highest level since November, with 3,743 people in intensive care as of yesterday.
A demonstration involving several thousand people has taken place today in Paris in support of equality for women. Today is International Women's Day. Demonstrations were also held over the weekend in several cities across France, including in Nice on Saturday.
Three people have been recovering in hospital after being rescued from a private plane forced to ditch into the sea off Calvi in Corsica. A search, under the coordination of CrossMed, was launched on Friday evening after the plane disappeared from air traffic radar about 50 km off the coast of Corsica. All three passangers were rescued by helicopter and taken to hospital in Ajaccio. A surveillance plane was depatched to the crash site over the weekend to assess if any pollution was coming from the wreckage, which sank to the sea bed, but none was detected.
Cannes City Hall has extended the deadline to apply for seasonal jobs this summer. There are positions to be filled within the municipal services, including in green spaces, urban cleaning, culture, sea and coast, municipal ports and the municipal police. Online registration is now open until March 14 at 11:59 p.m. instead of the previously announced deadline of March 7. Further information can be obtained by calling the Cannes Human Resources Department on 04 97 06 40 00.
Meanwhile, the Antibes Juan-les-Pins "Employment, Tourism and Summer Jobs" fair has started today and goes on for the next three weeks online. The jobs on offer are mainly in the hotel and catering, retail and entertainment sectors. More details at https://www.antibes-juanlespins.com/evenements-1er-plan/emploi-tourisme-et-jobs-d-ete-2021
BUSINESS
Meal delivery company Deliveroo has set out plans for a stock market listing in London. Deliveroo has not yet made a profit and reported a loss of £223.7m for 2020, which is ldown from the £317.3m loss it made in 2019.
Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England has said that he views the post Covid economic future in the UK as "positive but with large doses of cautionary realism". Speaking at the Resolution Foundation today he said that the Bank expects that by the end of the first quarter, UK GDP will still be around 12% below its level at the end of 2019, which he described as "a huge shortfall". However, he said that there are reasons to believe that "so-called longer-term scarring damage to the economy" will be more limited than in some past recessions. Meanwhile, a new survey suggests that UK consumer confidence has risen to its highest level since the beginning of the pandemic. The survey showed higher confidence for household finances, house prices and business activity.
SPORT
Rugby Union....Leicester Tigers have signed Scotland player Darryl Marfo on a short-term contract. The club has also signed James Whitcombe, Dan Kelly and Ollie Chessum but the length of their contracts hasn't been disclosed.
Cricket... The ICC has announced that two additional teams will be added to the women's 50 Over and T20 World Cups from 2026. Twelve teams will take part in the T20 World Cup. The 50 Over tournaments will have ten competing teams as from 2029.
Football.... There are two games in the English Premier League tonight. Chelsea play Everton and West Ham play Leeds.
WEATHER
Partly cloudy this evening.
Tomorrow - sunny intervals but the risk of showers in the afternoon and evening. Highs of 14.
Wednesday - sunny with clear skies. Highs of 15
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