Lunchtime News Monday 9th November 2020

News 

Deprogramming of all non-emergency medico-surgical activities - The regional health agency has announced the deprogramming of all non-emergency medico-surgical activities in the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region as the Covid-19 situation in hospitals is becoming “critical” according to the agency.

In a statement the ARS said that the goal is to increase the capacity of intensive care beds to 850 beds from the current 760 in the region.  

Healthcare staff will also be redeployed to "strengthen critical care units, including between public and private structures".

Tribute - French Prime Minister Jean Castex said France will "relentlessly" fight the "enemy [of] radical Islamism" during a tribute to the three victims killed in a terrorist attack in Nice last month.

Castex along with the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi and former Presdient Nicolas Sarkozy was honouring the two women and one man who were killed inside the city's basilica.

The Prime Minister said at the tribute "terrorism attacks who we are, what makes our identity, our freedom, our culture, and finally our lives. The enemy, we know what it is, not only is it identified, but it has a name". 

Lockdown - Local authorities in Biarritz have been criticised by a local GP for preventing his patients from swimming.

The doctor had been giving medical prescriptions for his patients to allow them to practice water sports, beneficial to health.  However police forces were soon deployed on all beaches to prevent the practice of physical activities.

France entered lockdown on October 30th meaning a ban for certain activities. The official rules state that beaches, bodies of water and lakes are to remain open, but “nautical and recreational activities there are prohibited”. 

Many elderly people from Biarritz who regularly swim in the sea are disappointed at the ban.

Education - France’s Education Minister has announced the strengthening of the health protocol in force and the cancellation of the common assessment tests of the 2021 baccalaureate to prevent an explosion of cases of Covid-19 contamination in high schools.

Teaching unions have called for strike action tomorrow Tuesday 10th November as they are unhappy about the health situation and the lack of facilities available in order to respect the measures in place.

Flights - Flights to and from Nice Cote d'Azur Airport are being impacted by lockdown measures in France. The airport is expected to have a significantly reduced number of arrivals and departures in the coming days and weeks as airlines reschedule and cancel flights in the light of coronavirus restrictions. If you have a flight booked, you're advised to contact your airline to check that your flight is still operating.

And Finally

An 18-year-old from Sussex has won gold at a worldwide Rubik's Cube-solving event.

Chris Mills won the event at the Red Bull Rubik's Cube World Cup on Saturday, which marked 40 years since the multi-coloured puzzle was first released.

Due to Covid restrictions, the tournament took place entirely online for the first time.

The event gives competitors a solved Cube and asks them to match the pattern on a randomly scrambled one.