Lunchtime News Tuesday 29th December 2020

News

Missing teenager - A 13-year-old girl with a history of running away from her children’s home in Draguignan in the Var has been reported missing for several weeks. Police have launched a missing person appeal after Paloma Gomez has not been seen since December 2nd. The teenager is of slim build, has brown eyes, dark hair with blonde highlights and often wears jeans with a sweater. If you have any information likely to help the investigators, please contact the Draguignan police station by phone at 04.94.39.44.50.

New Year under high security - Security is to be stepped up in the Alpes Maritimes over New Year due to Covid-19. From Nice to Grasse police will be deployed to enforce the curfew and to prevent illegal gatherings on New Year’s Eve. The border between France and Monaco will also be placed under close surveillance in order to ensure strict compliance with the new health measures enforced by the Principality.

Mayor of Nice campaigns for vaccination –  Meanwhile the Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, has launched a campaign for immediate vaccination in the Alpes-Maritimes. Estrosi campaigned on Monday for the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 to begin "immediately" in the Alpes-Maritimes, a department facing an upsurge in the epidemic. During a press conference Estrosi said "we want the vaccination campaign against the Covid-19 to start immediately and not in eight days’ time”. According to the mayor, the incidence rate in the Alpes-Maritimes department was 323 per 100,000 on December 27th, more than double the national average.

Defense Council meeting - It is not yet known whether new measures will be decided but French media is reporting that there is the possibility of local lockdowns being discussed at today’s Defense Council meeting on Covid-19.

The former socialist minister Ségolène Royal has this morning called on the government to "tailor-make" for the regions more affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. Meanwhile the president of the Grand Est region in favour of a local lockdown. The government and health authorities are monitoring three regions: the Alpes-Maritimes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and the Grand Est where figures are said to be particularly alarming in the latter region.

Monaco support for valleys devastated by Storm Alex - HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco has visited Breil sur Roya to show Monaco’s continual support of the area devastated by Storm Alex in early October. Since the disaster struck Monaco has provided financial and logistical assistance to the valleys.