Day: 2 October 2020

The government has revealed that less invasive, Covid-detecting saliva tests have been received in the Principality and may soon be available to the public.
The current PCR test used in Monaco, and most other countries, requires a lot of manpower and resources, and often has a turnaround time that can render it ineffective.
“Painless” saliva tests, on the other hand, are less invasive and deliver results in under an hour. They also do not need to be carried out by health care workers or require analysis by laboratories, thereby reducing the risk of viral exposure.
It was revealed during the recent Joint Monitoring Committee that the Principality had ordered and received saliva tests in an effort to diversify and further increase testing capabilities in Monaco. The alternative test is  currently being trialled and, pending the outcome, it will be made available to the public as a supplement to the PCR and rapid diagnostic tests already in wide use.
However, the government says the saliva tests are only beneficial when a person is showing signs of the disease.
It is an opinion supported by the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), an independent public health body, which recently gave its approval for saliva tests to be used in France, saying in a press release: “Their advantage is that they make sampling easier, reduce the risk of contamination for nursing staff and are less unpleasant for patients.”
The health authority added that saliva tests were not as effective as the nasal swab tests and failed to detect coronavirus in 75% of cases when the patient was asymptomatic. The HAS therefore recommended that they not replace nasal swab tests, which it said should remain the standard test.
Saliva tests will be particularly useful for detecting the virus in symptomatic people who have difficulty with the nasal swabs, such as children, elderly people or those with mental health conditions.
It was also revealed during the committee meeting that testing at Espace Léo Ferré has increased recently, with capacity rising from 1,300 tests per week to 1,800. “This figure is in line with current needs, though there is the possibility to increase capacity if necessary,” said the government in a statement.
 
 
 
 
 

Princess Stephanie of Monaco, President of the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival, has spoke out against the recent French government ban on the use of wild animals in shows.
As President of the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival, Princess Stephanie has long been an advocate and fan of the circus. So much so that she is prepared to take up the gauntlet for circus owners against the recent announcement that there will be an eventual ban on live animals performing in travelling shows in France.
Princess Stephanie railed against the edict, and expressed her anger in an interview with Monaco-Matin.
“I believe that we should not generalise,” said the 55-year-old Princess to the local daily. “Associations that claim to protect animals believe that they are still taken from the wild, which is false. They were born in captivity, just like those seen in zoos.”
She goes on to say that circus animals are loved and cared for like any human members of the troupes.
“Animals that have been born in their owner’s trailer for six or seven generations are loved, just like a domestic animal,” she said. “Snatch these wild animals from the only people who knew and loved them, to place them in a detention centre? It is terrible. As for releasing them into the wild, they will survive three days. If we want to take care of the animal condition, then we must take care of it completely. Domestic animals are very unhappy in their homes, we see them every year abandoned by the side of the road. This is a noble cause too.”
The French ruling, championed by Barbara Pompili, Minister of Ecological Transition under Prime Minister Jean Castex since earlier this year, also bans farming minks for fur as well as retaining dolphins and whales in captivity in marine parks and has been called an “historic victory” for animal rights.
“Our attitude to wild animals has changed,” Ms Pompili said during a press conference. “It is time to open a new era in our relationship with these animals.”
The ban would not affect zoos and other permanent attractions, only travelling shows, and would disallow lions, tigers, elephants and other wild animals to go on the road with them. Also in the measure, and effective immediately, the marine aquariums of France will no longer be allowed to breed or bring in new dolphins or orcas.
The government will be offering an €8 million package to assist circuses and marine parks to adjust to the new regulations. It is also considering building a sanctuary for animals who are currently in captivity and who will be in need of new homes.