Companies in the Principality who wish to apply for Reinforced Total Temporary Unemployment (CTTR) for their employees can now carry out the procedures online.
The government has made it easier for businesses to complete the CTTR process. They can now apply for authorisation from CCTR and submit their monthly declarations for the supplement payment for partial activity compensation, online.
The CTTR has been instated to allow companies to temporarily reduce or suspend the activity of employees – a measure that will end once the health situation has passed.
For more information, visit the government information site: https://service-public-entreprises.gouv.mc/Emploi-et-social/Reglementation-du- travail/COVID19/Declarer-la-mise-en-Chomage-Total-Temporaire-Renforce
Nice University Hospital (CHU Nice) is taking part in a Europe-wide trial to test the effectiveness of chloroquine in treating Covid-19.
Chloroquine and its cousin hydroxychloroquine have been used since the 1940’s to treat malaria. Then, during the SARS pandemic in the early 2000’s, the drug was found to prevent the spread of the virus in lab cultures that were testing treatment options.
Today, some in the medical community are revisiting these drugs to see if they can impact, limit or lessen the effects of Covid-19.
On Sunday, Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi – who recently tested positive for the coronavirus and has been taking chloroquine – announced that Nice University Hospital will start using chloroquine in clinical trials as part of a Europe-wide experiment to fight the disease.
Estrosi told BFMTV on Monday 23rd March, “I am on the 6th day (of treatment) and I feel like I have been cured, I am in great shape.”
It is one of four possible treatments CHU Nice is testing as part of the European trials.
The purpose is “to analyse the efficacy and tolerance of therapeutic options for patients in a limited time”, explained the National Institute of Health and Research (INSERM), the body that approved the clinical trials in France.
The French hospitals that have been chosen include not only CHU Nice, but also select facilities in Paris, Lille, Nantes, Strasbourg and Lyon. In the end, roughly 20 hospitals could be part of these studies, with around a quarter of patients being from France.
CHU Nice released a statement specifying that “the patients who will be the subject of this trial will be selected by the investigating doctors (infectiologists, pulmonologists and resuscitators) according to objective clinical and scientific criteria. The consent of the patient or the family will also be required. The purpose of the study is to determine the efficacy and the side effects of the treatments.”
Twenty-four patients in Marseille treated with chloroquine last week are on the mend, according to Dr Didier Raoult, Director of the Bacteriology and virology labs at La Timone Hospital in Marseille. The patients were amongst the first infected in the region and volunteered for the treatment.
“We could see that the patients who had not received Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) were still carriers after six days, however when we gave Plaquenil, after six days no more than 25% were carriers,” explained Dr Raoult.
The viral load is even lower in patients treated with the antibiotic azithromycin, according to the specialist.
Chloroquine works to intercept the virus’s ability to replicate in two ways. First, the drug enters endosomes – small compartments – within the cell membrane. Endosomes tend to be on the acidic side, but the drug changes their pH, making the compartments more basic. Many viruses acidify endosomes as a way of entering the cell membrane to release their genetic material and begin the replication process. Chloroquine blocks this critical step.
The drug also prevents certain viruses from plugging into a receptor called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, or ACE2, according to a 2005 report made when scientists were looking for a cure for SARS. When the virus inserts its spike protein into the ACE2 receptor, it sets off a chemical process that alters the structure of the receptor and allows the virus to infect. Chloroquine in certain doses seems to stop this process. Viral replication is then thwarted, the authors noted.
Chloroquine clinical trials are also being made in the United States and China. Assuming the drugs are effective and well-tolerated in test subjects, supplies will be increased and its usage will be widespread in the treatment against Covid-19.
With the cancellation of the Monaco Grand Prix, as well as four other scheduled races this year, Formula One has launched a new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix, featuring current F1 drivers alongside a number of other stars.
The Grand Prix racing calendar, like everything else, has been affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. So, to give fans another way to enjoy Formula One racing, they have developed a series that will replace every missed race with a virtual one.
The first virtual race was held on Sunday with the Bahrain Grand Prix. The slightly hectic inaugural race saw a few technical glitches and was cut short but saw Renault’s F2 rising star Guanyu Zhou land in the top spot. Stoffel Vandoorne came in 11 seconds later to nab second leaving Philipp Eng in third.
Short notice left many Formula One stars unable to compete, though Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi did make it. The fun wasn’t limited to current pilots, and a host of former drivers and outsiders joined in seeing Nico Hulkenberg, Stoffel Vandoorne, Anthony Davidson and Johnny Herbert all competing, while the more well-known names from outside of the sport included Olympian Sir Chris Hoy and former One Direction star Liam Payne.
The technical troubles meant that the race was cut short creating a 14-lap race rather than the scheduled 28, but the excitement was no less felt.
The participants all raced remotely in compliance with health and safety regulations currently in place, and the broadcast was hosted live from the Gfinity Esports Arena and was viewed on the Formula One’s YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, as well as on F1.com.
The series is using the official F1 2019 PC video game, created by gaming company Codemasters and has a set of built-in game-levellers, as the gaming skills of each participant vary wildly. Things such as running equal car performances with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage, and options such as anti-lock braking and traction control were available for those less confident with their game.
On non-race weekends, Formula One will host live exhibition races online, giving fans a chance to go up against real F1 pilots. Details of these events will be available in the coming weeks.
“We are very pleased to be able to bring some light relief in the form of the F1 Esports Virtual GP, in these unpredictable times, as we hope to entertain fans missing the regular sporting action,” said Julian Tan, head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports. “With every major sports league in the world unable to compete, it is a great time to highlight the benefits of esports and the incredible skill that’s on show.”
The next race will be held in two weeks at Melbourne’s virtual Albert Park track.
The Principality has now embarked on a major sanitization programme, disinfecting sidewalks, train station platforms, public elevators and escalators.
The government has again stepped up measures to protect people in Monaco, this time targeting the most used public spaces.
“It is important that we commit all of our teams and all of our resources to reduce the risk of contamination of Monegasques, residents and employees,” said Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Minister of Equipment, Environment and Town Planning.
Since 5am Monday 23rd March, the Société Monégasque d’Assainissement (SMA) has been disinfecting sidewalks, station platforms, elevators and escalators with a biodegradable bactericide with the scent of forest pines. There will be around 30 SMA officers in operation seven days a week.
For sidewalk disinfection, regular street cleaning trucks are equipped with three rods distributing the disinfectant.
For the disinfection of elevators and escalators, teams are provided with the necessary equipment to manually disinfect elevator buttons, as well as escalator and elevator handrails.
Pangolins have recently received a lot of attention due to the recent pandemic of Covid-19. It is speculated that the new coronavirus incubated in bats and was transmitted to humans through endangered pangolins.
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The current global health crisis is believed to have begun in a wildlife market or wet market in the province of Wuhan, China, the same as the SARS virus. However, the SARS virus was transmitted to humans through another animal called a Civet.
Conservationists in Asia and Africa have been combining efforts to save the dwindling species of Pangolin. Not much is known about Pangolins, but in this interview with scientific research expert Benoit Goossens of Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia, we will get a glimpse of this gentle species and why it is now in the limelight of protection.
Danau Girang Field Center (DGFC) is located on the Island of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. It is situated in an ideal location rich in biodiversity in the rainforest of the lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. DGFC is a research and training facility managed by the Sabah Wildlife Department and Cardiff University of the United Kingdom.
Never in history has there been a pandemic involving this many lives. It is evident that illegal activity occurs in wildlife trafficking which trickles down to wildlife markets – a breeding ground for disease – as well as social media platforms. Considering this developing news, it’s time we stand up and rethink our values of life and what positive changes we can make for the future of our planet. Whether your concerns are with human life, animal life, ethical or ecological reasons, or preservation of our planet, now is the time to support change for the ethical treatment of human and animal life. Let this crisis lead us to creative innovations and positive changes.
Monaco’s taxis are offering free transport to people receiving government assistance and in need of medical treatment.
Monaco taxis are uniting during this lockdown period to help the most vulnerable in the community, such as the elderly, get to and from necessary doctor appointments without requiring them to pay.
Of course, the official government line is that those who are most at risk should stay indoors and have supplies and services come to them, but the Monaco taxi association understands this is not always practical. After a period of discussion with the Town Hall, the taxi drivers were given the green light to undertake their initiative.
Roughly 15 of the 95 taxis in the Principality are currently operational. Though the rest are in confinement, they are still willing to help if it is required of them. Most taxis will be equipped with “health kits” to ensure the virus does not spread between passengers. If the taxi has not yet received their kit, the mandatory health rules will be strictly enforced with disinfectant wipe downs after each fare.
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