Lunchtime News Thursday 22nd April 2021

 News

Teaching unions to meet with education ministry ahead of reopening of elementary schools on Monday - French teaching unions will meet today with the Education ministry to discuss the reopening of elementary schools on Monday. The unions are going to ask that saliva tests be “compulsory for every pupil and not random” and that any supply teachers in nursery schools be vaccinated.

Reopening mid-May – French President Emmanuel Macron intends to stick to a goal of allowing restaurants to serve customers outdoors from mid-May, while also reopening cinemas, theatres and museums with reduced capacity. Non-food businesses will also open their doors mid-May.

Regional figures for Covid - In the Alpes Maritimes region, the signs are reassuring despite an ever-present pressure in intensive care. The regional Health Agency announced two additional deaths on Wednesday April 21st. Since the start of the epidemic, the coronavirus has killed 1,884 (446 in nursing homes, 1,438 in hospitals).

Hospital indicators are still high but falling. There are currently 259 patients hospitalized for coronavirus and according to the ARS, the incidence rate - which corresponds to the number of people tested positive over seven days and reported to 100,000 inhabitants - is 203 which is still below the regional average of 378 and the national average of 337.

Monaco – In Monaco on Wednesday nine new cases of Covid were identified bringing the total number of residents affected to 2,422. Eleven people are currently in hospital and 43 people are being followed by the Home Monitoring Centre.

Meanwhile some restrictions will be lifted from next Monday in Monaco when restaurants will be allowed to reopen for dinner service, sports activities will resume in schools, and the evening curfew will be pushed back to 9pm.

In other news 

Products recalled - Several French supermarkets have recalled several pasta, rice prawns and couscous  products for health reasons. Intermarché, Carrefour, Casino and Super U supermarkets issued a recall. For a full list go to rivieraradio.mc

Paper receipts in supermarkets – Meanwhile as part of new environmental measures two major supermarket chains in France have said that they will stop giving automatic paper receipts to customers.

After carrying out trials Systeme U has decided to put an end to paper receipts in their supermarkets and Carrefour hypermarkets will also start to introduce an alternative to automatic paper receipts.

And Finally 

Hotel Catafornia! - A hotel entirely dedicated to cats will open its doors this Friday in Tours (Indre-et-Loire). The establishment, named "Matourangeau", will allow feline owners to leave their animal in peace for a weekend or a vacation.

A total of 24 rooms will be available. The price; 21 euros for a cat, 36 euros for two and 46 euros for three. The manager added that "Cats that are not from the same family will not be able to share the same room”.

In addition to the rooms in which the felines can rest, a games room with wall paths, suspension bridges and scratching trees has been planned within the hotel.

 

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