Lunchtime News Friday 28th May 2021

News

Trials launched for Sanofi/GSK vaccine - Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have announced the launch of large-scale trials for their covid vaccine. The Phase III clinical trial will involve 35,000 people aged 18 and older from several countries. The development of the Sanofi/GSK vaccine suffered an initial setback with the companies announcing in December that their jab triggered an "insufficient response in older adults." They have since adapted the formula and announced earlier this month that their protein-based vaccine produced antibodies in 95 per cent to 100 per cent of cases following a second dose. The vaccine remains on track to be approved in the fourth quarter of the year.

Travel from UK to France - Meanwhile people travelling from the UK to France from Monday 31st May will only be able to come if they have an “essential «reason and will then be required to self-isolate for seven days.

According to the new measure “travellers from the UK must justify their trip with an essential reason, which does not include leisure or holiday trips, meaning tourists and those with second homes in France will not be allowed into the country”. 

Increase of vaccine supplies in touristic places ahead of summer holiday - French government spokesman Gabriel Attal has announced this morning that the state will "strengthen the vaccine supply of centres which are located in very heavily touristic places" ahead of the summer holidays. The Ministry of Health will "in the coming days " present "a specific plan for the summer” concerning the organization of the vaccination campaign.

French doctor claims it’s not normal that, so few doctors and nurses are vaccinated in his hospital - Meanwhile the number of hospitalised covid patients fell below 18,000 in France on Thursday, with 3,200 people in critical care. Speaking to French media this morning Professor Éric Caumes, said that in his view “vaccination in France will sooner or later become compulsory”. The professor went on to say that it “was not normal that only 80% of doctors and little more than 50% of nurses in his hospital were vaccinated”.

3rd and 4th year college students to return full time on Monday - The French government has announced that "classes will resume 100% in colleges from Monday, 31st May”. A 50% attendance system, due to the health crisis, currently concerns third- and fourth-year college students in regions with a high covid circulation.

Postcard arrives 32 years later - Sent from Menton in 1988, a postcard has final arrived at its destination in Biarritz. Thirty-two years later. The 70-year-old received the card from her mother in law who was on holiday in Menton at the time and has since died. The stamp is dated September 17, 1988.

 

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