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Day: 16 September 2020

Covid testing centre reopens

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2020

The Monaco government has reinitiated a Covid-19 screening centre in Fontvieille, although this time testing will be prioritised.
The Prince’s Government, in consultation with the National Council of Monaco and with the support of the Mairie of Monaco, this week put in place a PCR sampling centre at Espace Leo Ferré.
The centre is now open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm and tests are free. It has a sampling capacity of 400 per week.
To receive a PCR test, people will have to either provide a medical prescription issued by an attending doctor, occupational doctor or a DASA doctor; or be symptomatic or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.
Unlike the former testing regime initiated by the government, an appointment is now essential and can be made by contacting 92 00 05 55. A patient or their doctor can make an appointment.
The testing centre will be regulating and prioritising requests, in coordination with the analysis laboratories, to optimise flow.
Only a PCR test will be carried out on site. This shows whether a person is carrying the virus at the time of testing.
In urgent cases – those who are symptomatic or have been in contact with a patient with Covid – the analysis will be carried out by the Princess Grace Hospital Centre with results obtained in less than 24 hours. If the case is less urgent, analysis will be conducted in a private laboratory with a result within 24 hours.
Asymptomatic people or those not known to have had contact with Covid-infected people and still wish to be tested are requested to visit a private laboratory.

© Direction de la Communication / Stephane Dana

On Wednesday afternoon, the centre received a visit from the Minister of State Pierre Dartout who was accompanied by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Didier Gamerdinger, President of the National Council Stéphane Valeri and the Director of the Princess Grace Hospital Centre Benoîte de Sévelinges.
The centre is the result of a collaboration between the various institutions of the Principality, with logistics and medical support being provided by the CHPG.
Photo © Communication Department / Manuel Vitali
 
 
 
 
 

National Council calls for faster Covid tests in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/09/2020

While welcoming the opening of a dedicated Covid testing centre at Espace Léo Ferré this week, the National Council says the government must do more and make saliva tests available now for everyone.  
Back to school also means back to work for the National Council and President Stéphane Valeri led a press conference on Tuesday with fellow councillors to discuss the issues that are on the table, including a reduction in the budget deficit and continued support for the economic recovery plan.
But as has been the case for months, the health crisis dominates, with increased testing and the new screening centre at Espace Léo Ferré taking centre stage.
Mr Valeri said that he and the new Minister of State, Pierre Dartout, have been able to discuss this issue with success, however on the advice of Dr Christophe Robero, chairman of the Committee on Social Interests and Miscellaneous Affairs, he believes that Monaco needs a dedicated testing site open seven days a week to accommodate the citizens if and when they require testing, in order to lessen the impact the virus has on the Principality.

Stéphane Valeri and fellow councillors during the press conference © National Council

“Remember that we voted for €300 million in April so that the government has all the necessary means to protect our people and our economy against this crisis,” said Mr Valeri, adding, “The system put in place by the Minister of Health was difficult to read and insufficient for those who wanted or needed to be tested. The general feeling was that the route to be tested was like an obstacle course, with often more than eight days between the start of the process and obtaining a result, even for symptomatic people or cases of contact with a medical prescription.”
Mr Valeri acknowledged that a dedicated centre at Espace Léo Ferré is a good first step in guaranteeing sufficient testing capacity, though he said more must be done.
“A unique site is an important step, but it is not sufficient. We must also increase our capacity to test and to analyse in the Principality…  That’s why today we also ask the government to put in place saliva tests, which are now reliable, more comfortable and obtain much faster results than PCR tests.”
His statement comes as Professor Jean-Francois Delfraissy, of France’s Scientific Council, told a senate hearing on Tuesday that saliva tests for coronavirus should be rolled out across the country from the end of September. Results are available between 15 minutes and one hour after a sample is taken, he told the hearing.
Brigitte Boccone-Pages © National Council

Meanwhile, Marc Mourou, President of the Education, Youth and Sports Committee, called for more and faster processing of tests for teachers and classmates of students who have tested positive for Covid, while Béatrice Fresco-Rolfo was adamant about the need to respect social distancing measures.
Quality of life and the budget were also touched on. Brigitte Boccone-Pagès insisted that a balance must be struck to ensure people have a good quality of life and suggested that noise pollution measures be put in place and that new construction not be approved for areas that are already full.
It was also announced that the budget deficit should be reduced to between €100 to €150 million due to positive figures as a result of real estate VAT, mostly coming from the Mareterra project, as well as payment to the government of part of the anticipated balance.
 
Photos © National Council
 
 
 

Yacht Club giving “three day experience” despite show cancellation

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/09/2020

The Monaco Yacht Show may be cancelled, but that isn’t stopping the Yacht Club from offering its usual roster of events. This year’s line-up is special though and will focus on the environment and health.   
The Yacht Club of Monaco (YCM) is organising three days of events during what would have coincided with the Monaco Yacht Show. From 21st to 23rd September, they will be hosting Monaco: Capital of Yachting Experience, put together with the organisers of the Monaco Yacht Show and under the auspices of the Prince Ablert II Foundation in honour of Planetary Health Week.
Some of the highlights include a screening of a film made this summer by South African explorer Mike Horn during his last expedition to the Arctic, which will be held on Monday 21st September at 9pm.
On Tuesday 22nd at 10:30am, the Captain’s Forum will be held both in person and by videoconference, which will answer questions about how the yachting industry is handling the health crisis, what sectors have been most affected, and which are coping the best. They will also offer new solutions to tackle the thorny problems associated with health regulations.
Later that day at 3pm will be the launch of the Superyacht Eco Association (SEA) Index. This will be the new benchmark for measuring superyacht’s emissions, allowing owners to calculate their impact on the environment. The tool has been created by YCM, Credit Suisse and Nobiskrug, and aims to support the industry’s overall transition to more environmentally-friendly practices.
At 4:30pm on Tuesday 22nd there will be a debate held on hydrogen as an alternative energy source for yachts. The debate will be attended by Prince Albert II and several players who are championing this change, and will present hydrogen as a carbon-free energy substitute that will go toward reducing overall emission rates.
This timely topic coincides with the European Commission’s recent plan to boost hydrogen production as part of its environmental strategy.
“With 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from energy, we need a paradigm shift to reach our 2030 and 2050 targets,” said European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson. “Hydrogen should play a key role in this, with the fall in renewable energy prices.”
All access, both in person and by videoconference, must be registered for by contacting monacocapitaleyachting@ycm.org.
 
 
Photo: Monaco Yacht Club by Alexandre Prevot
 
 

Monaco Ballet announces winter schedule

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/09/2020

Ballets de Monte-Carlo is returning for the 2020-21 season with an amazing line-up featuring an anthology of works by the ballet’s director, Jean-Christophe Maillot.
The new season of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo has been set and the line-up is sure to tickle the fancy of dance lovers everywhere.
For their big return to the stage, the Ballet will be amongst the first in the world to perform Altro Canto and Vers un Pays Sage at the Grimaldi Forum from 15th to 17th October.
Later in the year, to celebrate the holiday season, the Grimaldi Forum will also be the site of a choreographic fireworks display that runs from 11th December to 3rd January. Simultaneously in those first days, from 11th to 13th December, the company will debut Opus 60, the latest creation by Mr Maillot.
Three classic favourites will also be performed. Mr Maillot’s renditions of Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet and LAC, his take on Swan Lake, will be performed, accompanied by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Igor Dronov and Kazuki Yamada.
The Ballet de Monte-Carlo will also take their shows on the road this season, the only ones currently scheduled to do so, and will perform the 19th and 20th of September in Biarritz for the Festival Le Temps d’Aimer la Danse where they will do Altro Canto and Vers un Pays Sage. Then on 8th and 9th October they will be in Ludwigshafen, Germany for the Theater im Pfalzbau where they will dance Coppél-i.A. Finally, from 6thto 14th November, the company will go to Paris to perform Coppél-i.A at the Théâtre National de la Danse de Chaillot.
 
Related stories:
Dancing through lockdown
 
 
 

Oleg Petrov elected to LFP Board

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/09/2020

AS Monaco’s Vice-President and CEO has been elected as the newest Board of Directors Member for the League of Football Professionals.
The General Assembly of the League of Football Professionals (LFP) recently selected the latest Board of Directors, and AS Monaco’s own Oleg Petrov was amongst them. Mr Petrov was named Vice-President and CEO of the club in February 2019.
“I am very happy to be part of the Board of Directors of the LFP, as a part of the representatives of Ligue 1 clubs,” said Mr Petrov. “I thank the club presidents for their confidence in me. This is of course an important moment for AS Monaco. I will do everything possible to help our league meet the challenges that arise, to work in the collective interest, and to continue the remarkable development the league has made in recent years and to contribute to the influence of Ligue 1 internationally.”
He will join the ranks with counterparts from other major clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain’s Nasser El Khelaïfi, Jean-Pierre Caillot of Stade de Reims, Jacques-Henri Eyraud from Olympique de Marseille, Loïc Féry of FC Lorient, FC Nantes’ Waldemar Kita, Laurent Nicollin from Montpellier HSC and Jean-Pierre Rivère of OGC Nice.