News
Rapid increase of covid cases sees the French government tighten measures ahead of holiday season - Faced with the rapid increase in the number of cases of covid for several days, and a peak of 32,591 new infections on Wednesday, the highest reached since April 24th, the French government is tightening the measures. A month before Christmas, the government has unveiled its plan so that France can hope to spend the end of the year in "good conditions" with a vaccination booster for all people over 18 years of age, a tightened health pass and increased pressure on the unvaccinated.
From this Saturday, a vaccine booster dose will be available to all those aged 18 and over from five months after their last injection. There will be changes to the operation of the health pass, as from 15th January, a person's health pass will be deactivated if a booster dose has not been received within 7 months of their last injection. A notification will be sent via the Tous Anti Covid app as the date for deactivation of the health pass approaches.
The period of validity of PCR and Antigen tests which give access to the health pass will be reduced from the current 72 hours to 24 hours as from next Monday. As regards the wearing of masks will become mandatory in all enclosed public spaces, including those subject to the health pass, a measure which is expected to be enacted by a decree made today. Prefects will be able to make the decision on whether to make mask wearing compulsory at outdoor events.
As soon as these latest measures were announced on Thursday appointments exploded with access to the Doctolib site being subject to a significant waiting time.
Elderly man collapses and dies from heart attack in city centre of Saint Raphael - An elderly man has died in the city centre of Saint-Raphael after suffering a heart attack. A passer-by raised the alarm shortly after 9.30am on Thursday morning but emergency services were unable to save the victim, believed to be in his 70s. The incident occurred close to the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry high school.
Police search doctor's surgery in Plan-de-la-Tour over suspected fraud concerning the health pass - Police in the Var have searched the premises of a doctor's surgery in the village of Plan-de-la-Tour, suspected of fraud concerning the health pass. In a case opened in October by investigators, police intervened on Thursday November 25th to search the premises. It was back in October that the mayor of the village had raised the alarm surprised at the number of people waiting outside of the surgery as well as the "success" rate of the vaccination campaign amongst local residents. The investigation continues.
Accused of running an organised illegal waste dumping ring - Ten people and seven companies are currently on trial accused of illegal dumping of waste in the Var and Alpes Maritimes region. Since Monday November 22nd the criminal court of Draguignan has been questioning the facts from 2017 to 2020 of an "irregular waste management in the form of an organised gang". The trial continues.
University removes CCTV cameras – Following the filing of several complaints reported by local media on Thursday, Nice University has announced that two CCTV cameras installed in early November in classrooms of the National Higher Institute of Professorship and Education (Inspé), which trains future teachers, would be removed. In a statement the university said that their objective was to "monitor the main exits of the establishment in order to secure potential intrusions, in accordance with the recommendations of the Vigipirate plan". The university specifies that it has "never had the wish or the interest to film anything other than the exits of the establishment" and that these cameras had not yet been "put into operation".
Works to be carried out on the Port of Saint Tropez - Mayor works are being prepared on the port of Saint Tropez. Planned to begin in January 2022, the construction phase is expected to last three years with the bulk of the project taking place next year. The project will see the introduction of pavements and changes to the electricity and cable network. The work reportedly represents a budget of 8 million euros and is considered as an "important investment" in the goal to have a "prettier and safer port" according to a local elected o
