In a video address to the people of Monaco, Prince Albert has said that returning to a life the same as before Covid-19 will be “long, demanding and difficult”, and that the population will learn more about the government’s three-stage plan on Tuesday.
The Head of State gave his pre-recorded message at 7pm on Monday 27th April, exactly one week ahead of the lifting of the lockdown on 4th May. He acknowledged that life in the Principality has been “considerably changed” since he announced the lockdown on 17th March.
The Prince began by thanking the health personnel, volunteers, pharmacists, law enforcement, and social services who have supported and continue to support victims of the virus.
On the economic front, the Prince said he “appreciates the great difficulties faced by all sections of economy, regardless of size,” which is why the government has taken unprecedented steps to support entrepreneurs and employees.
The Prince also paid tribute to the members of the National Council who “have passed several laws in a very short space of time, including amending a budget to allow my government to take action.”
The Sovereign went on to thank everyone in the Principality for respecting the strict lockdown rules that have been in place for six weeks, adding, “this collective discipline made it possible to contain the spread of this pandemic on our territory. However, we are truly saddened by the four deaths since the start of the epidemic including that of a resident of the Principality.”
Then it was time to move on to the future. Due to the efforts of the people of Monaco, the Prince said, “and the effectiveness of the decisions taken by my government, we can now envisage ending this strict lockdown on Monday 4th May at 6am.”
“Although the epidemic seems to be under control in the Principality, it is nevertheless still very present. We are going to have to learn to live with this virus because there is still no proven cure and no vaccine.”
He revealed that his government will announce on Tuesday 28th April more details about the three-stage plan to be implemented over the coming weeks, including a “very strong recommendation” for the wearing of masks in public spaces, along with frequent hand washing.
“Returning to a life the same as before Covid-19 will be long, demanding and difficult. It will require us to proceed gradually in stages and under certain conditions. I expect everyone to cooperate and comply with the conditions imposed during each phase of the lifting of this lockdown,” he said.
The Prince ended his address by asking his people to be united, confident and strong together in a spirit of solidarity.
Monaco’s lockdown will be lifted in less than a week and to prepare, the government is equipping several stores in the Principality with masks that can be purchased by the public.
In an effort to continue to protect the population post-confinement, the Prince’s Government has arranged with several stores in Monaco to provide masks at a set price of €2.50 for disposable surgical masks and €7.50 for FFP2 masks.
While it will not be mandatory for people to wear masks after the lockdown is lifted, the government strongly recommends that the public make use of their availability and maintain hygiene measures.
A list of outlets for masks will soon be available on the government’s website: https://covid19.mc/tout-savoir-sur-les-masques/#1631
A French laboratory has developed a blood test that is capable of determining a person’s level of immunity after contracting Covid-19. The test is being hailed as a “precious tool” in the lifting of lockdown measures.
The Pasteur-TheraVectys vaccinology laboratory near Paris revealed the existence of the new test in an interview with Liberation on Monday. It is the first to actually identify the degree of immunity in patients who have been cured of Covid-19, as well as anyone who may have been in contact with the virus, such as nurses, relatives of infected people, and supermarket workers.
Unlike existing serological tests, which only detect the presence of antibodies developed after an infection with the coronavirus, the new test created by virologist Pierre Charneau “provides information on the effectiveness of the antibodies” by classifying the degree of immunity into three categories: strong neutralising, weak and non-neutralising.
“The presence of antibodies does not allow us to say whether or not we are protected against a new infection by the coronavirus,” said Dr Charneau. “We have developed a ‘sero-neutralisation’ test which detects antibodies but above all which measures their ability to inhibit the entry of the virus into a cell. This test therefore provides information on the effectiveness of antibodies.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection. Their main fear is that people will assume that they are immune to a second infection because they have received a positive test and ignore public health advice.
If the new test is given the green light by the French National Authority for Health, which seeks a reliability of at least 98%, Pierre Charneau says it can be rolled out quickly.
“We have in stock all the reagents necessary to produce several hundred thousand,” he said. “And a single machine from the Institut Pasteur is enough to analyse 50,000 to 100,000 samples per week.”
The aim would be to mobilise laboratories throughout the country to analyse the blood tests with a waiting period of two days. Those at high risk would again be first in line to receive the tests.
One of Monaco’s many charms is to be able to walk down Avenue Princess Grace when, all of a sudden, you catch sight of your hero. Last month I was lucky enough to bump into ‘Lord of the Dance’ star, Guinness World Record holder and Abstract Expressionist artist Michael Flatley.
Considering that bumping into strangers is suspended for now, and we are living in a temporary time of confinement and isolation, the world looks to the arts for morale.
Monaco Life: What made you move to Monaco?
Michael Flatley: I moved to the French Riviera in 1999, which is a long time ago now. I have had many dear friends here for years, and I have since sold my house in Villefranche and moved to the Principality. This part of the country has always felt like home. So here I am!
I have met HSH Prince Albert of Monaco on several occasions. He’s such a gentleman and a great leader, we are so blessed to have him here. In fact, we performed for His Serene Highness at the Rose Ball many years ago. It is still one of my favourite memories.
We are talking while you are on your morning walk… is this how you’re keeping fit?
I try to keep in shape. I love walking, I always have. I often walk for hours. Many of the paths in Monaco have been made with runners and walkers in mind so it’s a lovely experience.
I wake up first thing in the morning and I have three espressos, the only caffeine I have all day, then I start my morning routine. I do some stretching to prepare for my walk, I take a cup of tea to my wife and a little something for my son, then I head out on my walk, making calls along the way.
Proust’s favourite question was, according to Alain de Botton, “What do you eat for breakfast?” I am fascinated by how people start their day…
I always have a bowl of porridge after my walk, it’s a great way to start the day and gives me power for the rest of the day. Occasionally, for a real treat, I have an Irish breakfast.
Do you meditate on your walk?
I’m really big on visualising. I visualise the things I would like to accomplish in my life, where I am going and what I am going to do next, not just for this day or for this year but in 10 years and for many years after, always keeping the focus on what’s next.
What are the fun things you enjoy on the Riviera? Where are your favourite places to take your wife out for dinner?
I am a sucker for romance. I think romance is the most underrated thing we have in this world and we all need to spend a little more time focussed on that. I love to take my wife to a whole range of places, but of course it’s hard to beat Cipriani’s, The Grill, and Louis XV of course. It’s one of the first restaurants I went to 20 years ago and it has always been a favourite of mine. I love going to the African Queen in the summer for lunch.
You’re a man who leaves many people starstruck, but who in Monaco or on the Riviera have you met that has left you starstruck?
I am one of those people that loves and appreciates anyone, whoever they are. I respect any person who works for a living. My father raised me to work hard – plumbing, construction, digging ditches… It doesn’t matter if someone is the world’s most famous pop star or if they’re fixing the electrical sockets or plumbing in my house. Any person who works for a living has my full respect.
How many years have you been dancing?
Oh, I’d be embarrassed to tell you. I have been dancing for 50 years. I started dancing when I was 11-years-old and now I am 61. I have a lot of miles on me.
Will you keep dancing?
It’s difficult now because my body has taken a severe beating because of the type of dance that I do. I’ve had several injuries over the years that have not healed or have left scars: a torn calf muscle, a broken bone in my foot, fractured ribs. This was bound to happen after all the endless hours of practice and performing, but it has never stopped me. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve retired now from performing, though my shows are still touring the world. It has given me time to work on other creative outlets like my art, which is a lot less taxing on my body.
If you could have danced with anyone from any era, who would that person be?
Dancing with partners doesn’t really suit me as a soloist, but I can tell you the dancers who I have great respect for: Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov – absolutely extraordinary talent – Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Jimmy Cagney had a beautiful powerful style, Gregory Hynes, Margot Fonteyn… there are too many to list.
Do you have a favourite film?
The Mission with Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro. The music by Ennio Morricone is something I could listen to for the rest of my life.
Monaco Summer by Michael Flatley
I am excited to talk to you about your passion for painting. Please tell us what made you turn to painting?
Well, I’ve been painting on and off for many years and it’s a funny story the way it took off actually. One of my dreams as a dancer was to perform in Madison Square Garden in New York. I’ve always been a boxing fan and grew up watching fights on TV of Mohammed Ali, Rocky Marciano, the great Joe Lewis, Roberto Duran… they all fought in Madison Square Garden.
When my dream came true and I performed there, my crew gave me a keepsake of the trap door I used onstage. It had thousands of my tap marks on it from dancing. When I hung it in Castlehyde, my home in Ireland, people remarked that it was a striking piece of art. The idea of painting with my feet was born.
I experimented with many techniques using my feet and my arms and realised that with the speed of movement, the colours and patterns emerged and held onto that energy. I was able to create a lasting dance on a blank canvas. I’m very passionate about it, every piece of art is a form of expression, as with dance, so to be able to transfer a dance into another form, I find it quite emotional. I love to lock myself away and paint for hours.
I wish you would dance again in Monaco. You wouldn’t say no to a little dance in Monaco, would you?
Next year will be the 25th anniversary of ‘Lord of the Dance’ – we’ll be doing a world tour and it would be lovely to come to Monaco. You never know, nothing is impossible!
TEDx Monte Carlo will be holding their third virtual salon this week discussing the economic effects of the health crisis from differing points of view.
TEDx Monte Carlo will be hosting a one hour remote event this Wednesday 29th April at 4:30. Andrew Know, a TEDx board member, and Curator Nanzine Matin will be co-hosting the session. Experts on economic matters from the Principality have been invited to speak, allowing participants to hear from representatives of local companies, entrepreneurs, the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) and the financial sector.
Two panellists well acquainted with the Monegasque economy, Deputy CEO of the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) Justin Highman and Managing Director of Monaco Asset Management (MAM) Anthony Torriani, will be joining the talks. These two experts will be looking at the economy from different angles and will present possible solutions as well as the financial outlook for the year.
Subjects being talked about include the macro-economy of the Principality, thoughts from the MEB, and government assistance available for businesses and entrepreneurs during the crisis. Also on the table will be discussions about what the current economic situation means to banks and other financial institutions and what their reactions may be.
Talks will also be held on the potential long-term effects of a shrinking economy and how the business sector can offset some of the damage.
For more information on the event and how to register: https://tedxmontecarlo.com/newsletters/newsletter-20200420/
The Princess Grace Hospital will resume emergency medical surgeries again from Monday 27th April as it transitions back to a pre-Covid system of operating.
Due to the coronavirus health crisis, the CHPG had changed its internal organisation to give priority to receiving and treating people with Covid-19 symptoms. Emergency patients were therefore received at the Principality’s other key health institutions – the Clinique Medico-Chirurgical Orthopedique de Monaco (IM2S) and the Cardio-Thoracique de Monaco (CCM). Both of these hospitals also reduced their normal activity amid the crisis to exclusively treat emergency patients.
But with only two people currently hospitalised with the virus, and only one patient in ICU, the CHPG will be back to full capacity in its emergency department on Monday.
“The CHPG and its entire medical community would like to warmly thank the IM2S and the CCM for their investment and the quality of professional relations throughout this exceptional crisis,” said the government in a statement.
The CHPG will return to providing emergency medical care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
During the peak of the Covid-19 virus in Monaco, a maximum of 15 people were being treated in the CHPG with four people in ICU (15th April). To date, only one resident of the Principality has died. Three other victims were patients who lived outside of Monaco but were being treated at the CHPG.
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