Lunchtime News Tuesday July 13th 2021

Macron - President Macron has addressed the nation to speak about the delta variant and introduce tough new measures to reduce its spread.

In a televised address last night ,Mr Macron said that vaccination was the key to prevent the spread of the variant and said that it would become mandatory for all health care staff with checks carried out from the start of September.

Later ,the French Health Secretary Olivier Veran warned that health care staff who did not get vaccinated would not be allowed to work and would not be paid.

President Macron also said that an extension of the health pass will be introduced from the 1st of August at establishments where 50 people or more are gathered including bars ,restaurants,cinemas and fitness centres.It will also be required for long distance train and bus travel.

The President said that France is facing a surge in the epidemic across the country and if we do not act now ,the number of cases will increase significantly and will lead to a rise in hospitalisations.

He said that there are 9 million vaccine doses available now and urged as many people to take up the offer as soon as possible.

Mr Macron also said that although he was not making vaccination compulsory for all French adults ,he would consider it if the situation takes a turn for the worst and he concluded that vaccination is “the only path back towards a normal life”.

Desired effect ? As Mr Macron was speaking last night ,thousands of French people started registering for vaccination.

In Nice alone ,10,000 more people have registered to be vaccinated since the President spoke and there are similar reports from other cities.

Meanwhile ,the Doctorlib platform says that it’s received more than a million vaccination enquiries since Mr Macron’s television address last night.

Party mode- France is in party mood with the annual July 14th Bastille Day celebrations tomorrow.

However ,the nation will still hold the 2016 Nice terrorist attack in which 86 people died and more than 200 were injured very much in mind.

There will be tight security at public events to mark the holiday in Paris and other large cities and towns.

Greeting from Monaco-His Serene Highness Prince Albert II has sent a letter of friendship and support from the people of the Principality to the people of France.

Prince Albert says in his letter to mark Bastille Day that he hopes the French people “soon overcome the consequences of the health crisis that we have all been going through”.

He adds that the crisis “simply serves to reinforce the strong friendship between the two countries”.

Serious accident-30 firefighters have been attending the scene of a serious accident in the hinterland of Nice this morning in which two people have been critically injured.

Authorities says that the accident happened when two cars collided at Utelle near the gare de la Tinee.

A further three people have sustained lighter injuries.

The two most seriously injured a 50 year old and a 22 year old man have both been airlifted to hospital in Nice.

The road has been closed with diversions in force.