French and Riviera News Monday 6th September 2021

News 

Drop in number of covid cases - France's Director of General Health Jérome Salomon has claimed that the number of covid cases in France has “dropped by 20% in one week”. For several days, the number of cases and hospitalized patients has been falling, possibly signaling the end of the fourth wave.

The number of hospitalized patients, which fell below the 11,000-mark last week, fell again at the weekend, to 10,654. Salomon said that the French government will be paying "particular attention to the start of the school year" because of the return from vacation, the return to work and the start of the school year, “will inevitably lead to people mixing and therefore a risk of an epidemic rebound”.

However, the epidemic indicators have not improved everywhere in France. With, "the situation remaining very difficult in the overseas territories" and hospital pressure is still high in the Bouches-du-Rhône (924 hospitalized, including 213 in critical care), in Martinique (654, ​​including 151 in critical care) and in Guadeloupe (596, including 89 in critical care).

Vaccine booster campaign – The covid vaccine booster campaign has started for those over 80 in Nice. Launched last Wednesday in France, for the elderly and vulnerable, about 100,000 people over 80 are registered in the Nice Alpes Côte d’Azur region.

Prime Minister says antivaxxers must not be mocked – Meanwhile after an eighth weekend of mobilization against the health pass, France’s Prime Minister Jean Castex has said that “we should not make fun of those who protest against the measures to fight against covid” adding that “amongst the antivaxxers, there are people who are not informed and are scared and you should never make fun of people who are afraid". Castex concluded that “it is our responsibility to explain the reality and emphasis that never before has a vaccine been so closely monitored”.

Researchers in Nice make breakthrough in the treatment of migraines - Researchers from Nice have made a major breakthrough in the treatment of migraines. Considered by the World Health Organisation to be one of the most disabling illnesses in the under 50s, researchers from the region have discovered a new therapeutic approach which could give considerable hope to many sufferers. The next step in the research, conducted by Guillaume Sandoz, director of research at the Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV) in Nice, is to test the treatment already tested on animals on humans.

Promenade closed following accident - The Promenade des Anglais in Nice has been briefly closed after a collision between a cyclist and a scooter. The accident occurred on Saturday evening shortly after 10.30pm and left two people slightly injured. Traffic was interrupted near the Radisson Hotel in the direction of the airport.

Crit’Air pollution car stickers - Meanwhile Nice and Cannes are amongst six communes in the Alpes Maritimes which have introduced Crit'Air pollution car stickers. The Nice-Côte d’Azur area joins a list of low emission zones in France where entry will be limited to vehicles rated Crit’Air 4 or over. The Crit’Air rating is a mark out of five indicating how much pollution a vehicle produces. Motorists need to apply for a Crit’Air certificate which must be displayed on the vehicle’s windscreen.

November 13th trial - The trial of the November 13th terror attack opens this Wednesday September 8th and is to be held for nearly nine months before the special periodic court. The attack which left 130 dead on the evening of November 13th, 2015 is the deadliest attack ever committed in France. There will be 1,800 civil parties of about twenty nationalities, 300 lawyers and 141 accredited media as well as the general public.

Mayor of Paris expected to run for presidency - The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, is expected to announce her candidacy for the 2022 presidential election by the end of the week according to French media. The possible candidacy of Hidalgo has been the subject of speculation for several weeks. Last Wednesday, the mayor of Lille Martine Aubry already gave her support to the mayor to represent the Socialist Party in 2022.

35% of French women dissatisfied with their sex life - A survey carried out by IFOP has shown that 35% of French women are dissatisfied with their sex life. 5,026 women from France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK participated in the survey between March 1 to 5, 2021. Results showed that in general women were having less sex today than five years ago and that 35% of respondents in France said they were not satisfied with their sex life, which is higher than in the four other countries.

Police boat which disappeared in a storm, appears for sale a year later, online - A police boat which disappeared in strong winds off the coast o