A press conference has been taking place in Paris at which Prime Minister Jean Castex and Health Minister Olivier Veran have given an update on the coronavirus situation.
The Prime Minister began by saying that the English variant now accounts for 60% of coronavirus cases in France and the variant is clearly linked to an acceleration of the virus in the past two weeks, but the country not yet facing an exponential rise in cases as some models had predicited. In people aged 80 plus, cases have dropped by 17% in one week, which the Prime Minister said is linked to the vaccination campaign.
Health establishments remain under pressure - there are 500 less hospitalised patients with Covid-19 compared to a week ago, but 200 more in intensive care than eight days ago.
In the 20 departments placed under "enhanced surveillance", the virus has continued to progress except in the Bouches-du-Rhone and Moselle. He said that three new departments would be added to the list - the Hautes-Alpes, the Aisne and the Aube. The Var and the Alpes-Maritimes are already on the list of 20 departments.
He announced restrictions for the Pas-de-Calais department in nothern France which will see a lockdown for the next three weekends from 8am on a Saturday until 6pm on a Sunday. Non-food supermarkets of over 5,000 square metres in the department will be closed.
In all the 23 departments placed under surveillance, shopping centres and commercial spaces of over 10,000 square metres will be closed and gatherings on public roads and in crowded places may be prohibited. The wearing of a mask will be mandatory in urban areas where it is not already the case. He asked residents of the 23 departments under surveillance to use "simple common sense" and as far as possible not leave their department.
He drew attention to the six person rule during gatherings.
As regards vaccinations, the Prime Minister said that France is in the lead in Europe for the vaccination of people most vulnerable to the virus, such as in care homes.
He said that in March France should receive 22 million vaccine doses, which is about three times more than received in the January to February period. By mid-May 20 million people should have been vaccinated, in other words everyone over the age of 50 who wants to be vaccinated. He said that people aged 50 to 74 who have "no particular pathology" will be able to be vaccinated from mid-April. By the summer enough doses will have been received to vaccinate 30 million people, or about two-thirds of the adult population. He said that not everyone can be vaccinated right away but wanted to reassure everyone that they will be vaccinated.
He said that a decree would be passed tomorrow allowing eligible people to get vaccinated at pharmacies without a prescription as from 15 March. Vaccination centres will be opened exceptionally this weekend.
Health Minister Olivier Veran said that 800,000 vaccines were delivered to doctors this week and 750,000 will be delivered next week. He called upon pharmacists and doctors to use the doses as soon as possible. He added that two million tests are being carried out each week and this is another weapon to fight the epedemic.
He said that according to a study, the risk of contamination is increased during meals, in private places and in workplaces "when vigilance is relaxed". He said that people working from home have a risk of contamination which is about 30% lower.
He added that only 60% of people observe isolation before receiving the results of a test and that isolation is put in place too late in the family unit. In almost half of cases of contamination which have occurred in workplaces, the people who contaminated their colleagues were symptomatic but had not isolated themselves.
Asked whether people should expect a return to normal on 15 April, Olivier Veran said that the government is not giving a date but it means that "nothing should be expected until then".
Jean Castex concluded by saying that over the next weekends people should stay at home, "even if you don't have to" and limit social interactions. He said that confinement "is not impossible but it is not inevitable" and everyone needs to redouble their vigilance.
The local governments in both Cannes and Antibes Juan-les-Pins as well as Villeneuve-Loubet have announced that they are launching vaccination campaigns for priority cases with the AstraZeneca vaccine as from next Monday March 8. It follows the confirmation by the High Authority of Health earlier this week that the vaccine could be administered to all priority people aged 50 to 74 years.
In Cannes, the Palais des Victoires in Cannes La Bocca will be reserved for the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine for priority cases: Cannes residents aged 50 to 74 with one or more specific co-morbidities, health professionals, staff in the medico-social sector and home help services aged 18 to 64. It's possible to make an appointment by phone on 04 89 82 23 69 or 04 89 82 23 70 (from Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm) or by email at the following address: astrazeneca@ville-cannes.fr More details can be found at
http://www.cannes.com/fr/actualites/annee-2021/mars/le-vaccin-astrazeneca-accessible-aux-cannois-prioritaires-ages-de-50-a-74-ans.html
In Antibes Juan-les-Pins the vaccination center at the Maison des Associations on chemin de Saint-Claude will be used for the vaccinations. More information can be found at https://www.antibes-juanlespins.com/toute-l-actu/vaccination-des-50-74-ans where information can also be found for those living in Villeneuve-Loubet.
The Cannes town hall has released figures for the number of vaccinations carried out so far. Since the launch of the vaccination campaign in Cannes on January 9 at the Palais des Festivals, 7,908 injections have been carried out and 2,946 people have received two doses.
A mobile coronavirus testing centre is going to be in Luc-en-Provence in the Var tomorrow, Friday, in front of the salle Jean-Louis Dieu. Testing is free and no appointment is needed but remember to take your carte vitale. The mobile testing centre operates in addition to seven temporary and free screening centers in the Var, which are located in Toulon, Hyères, Draguignan, Valletta, Saint-Raphaël and Saint-Julien. You can get more information at www.var.gouv.fr
Former French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur has been acquitted in a corruption trial concerning a submarine deal with Pakistan in the 1990's. He had faced charges of using commissions from the deal to fund a failed presidential bid in 1995. Former defence minister Francois Leotard, who is also a former mayor of Frejus, was given a two-year suspended sentence and fined €100,000 for complicity in misusing assets.
Meteo France have said that it's been a mild winter in the South-East, with an average temperature of 0.8 °C above normal. January was rather cold with temperatures 0.6 °C below normal, but February was the third warmest recorded in the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur region, at 3 °C above normal.
The Monaco government has said that almost 1,500 individuals and entities have now signed Monaco's National Pact for Energy Transition. The pact is part of the Principality's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. You can find more information in English at the website www.yourmonaco.mc
BUSINESS
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation into whether Apple's terms for app developers are anti-competitive. The investigation will look at whether Apple has a dominant position in the distribution of apps on its devices and whether it imposes unfair terms on developers. Apple said its terms were "fair and equal".
Casino operator Las Vegas Sands is selling its Venetian casino in a $6.25bn deal. The company will use the proceeds from the sale to expand its operations in Singapore and Macau.
Amazon has opened a new grocery store in London in which shoppers are automatically billed as they leave. Customers scan a smartphone app when entering the store in Ealing, west London and are then free to leave after doing their shopping without going through a checkout. Amazon also operates seven Whole Foods Market stores in the UK but the new store is its first "just walk out" shop outside the United States.
SPORT
Cricket... England have been bowled out for 205 on the first day of the 4th and final Test against India. Axar Patel took 4-68 and Ravichandran Ashwin 3-47. At the close of play today India were 24 for 1 in reply after 12.0 overs, meaning that India trail England by 181 runs with 9 wickets remaining.
The Pakistan Super League has been suspended after seven reported cases of coronavirus. England batsman Tom Banton, who plays for Quetta Gladiators is one of the players who have tested positive but said he was "feeling OK".
Rugby Union...Wales scrum-half Kieran Hardy has been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations tournament because of injury. He damaged a hamstring in the match against England. Wales are due to take on Italy in Rome on 13 March.
Football... There are 3 games in the English Premier League tonight. Fulham play Spurs, West Brom host Everton and Liverpool play Chelsea.
WEATHER
Partly cloudy this evening.
Tomorrow - sunny intervals, highs of 15.
The weekend - sunny intervals and showers on Saturday, cloudy but dry on Sunday.
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