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Month: December 2020

Strict restaurant rules from 2nd January

by: Stephanie Horsman
31/12/2020

People will have to prove they are either a Monaco resident, or are working or staying in the Principality, in order to dine at local restaurants from Saturday, as the government responds to a surge in Covid cases.

The New Year carries with it the same old problems. Covid has not magically disappeared with the end of 2020, and new measures have had to be put in place to help stop the spread of the virus that has become a hallmark of the times.

As such, the government of Monaco has decided that, from 2nd January at 7pm, only those who live, work or are staying in a hotel in the country will be allowed to go to Monaco’s eateries.

The restaurants will be required to ask those entering to show a justification or proof that they fall into one of the three categories mentioned above.

“Although the incidence rate in Monaco is half that in the Alpes-Maritimes, and even though the Principality performs twice as many tests, it has indeed been noted that the number of positive cases has increased in recent days,” said the government in a statement. “Consequently, in continuity of the balance maintained until now between the protection of the health of the population and the preservation of economic activity, the Prince’s government will limit access to its restaurants to only people justifying a residence or work in Monaco.”

The government says it will not rule out strengthening measures even more if the health situation requires it. This new regulation is in addition to those already in place, such as the curfew, the complete closure of nightclubs and bars, mandatory mask-wearing and other social distancing protocols.

This latest move follows a call by Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi earlier in the week for either restaurants to be closured in Monaco or for authorities to impose a travel ban for French citizens crossing the border.

 
Related stories:

Estrosi wants Monaco to close its borders

 
Photo by Monaco Life
 
 

Vaccination campaign kicks off on last day of 2020

by: Stephanie Horsman
31/12/2020

Just as the number of Covid cases has begun to rise sharply in Monaco, the much-anticipated BioNTech vaccine has arrived and inoculation has begun at aged care homes.

The government has announced not only the arrival but the beginning of the roll out for the new Covid jab that has just been approved by the European Medicines Agency this past week.

The vaccine became available on Thursday 31st December for people living in care homes who wish to be inoculated. The first dose will be administered straight away, followed three weeks later by a second dose as a booster, ensuring better immunisation.

The Department of Health Action Services (DASA) is assisting in the undertaking, particularly in organising pre-vaccination consultations and obtaining the necessary consent of the people wishing to be vaccinated. This step helps streamline the system, allowing them to determine the number of jabs to be delivered to each facility, a crucial step as the vaccines require storage at extremely low temperatures in special freezers which are not found on-site at retirement homes. 

The jabs will be administered by trained medical professionals overseen by a doctor.

Starting on Friday 1st of January, residents of Monaco over the age of 75 who have expressed that they would like the inoculation will be contacted for an appointment at the vaccination centre set up at the Espace Léo Ferré.

Health Minister Didier Gamerdinger underlines that “it was important for the Government to quickly receive the first deliveries of vaccines to protect our elders and the most vulnerable without delay.”

With 26 new cases on Wednesday alone and 14 people in hospital, this news could not have come at a better time for a Covid-weary public.

For those in the proper category who would like to make an appointment, the government has set up a direct line to the call centre on +377 92 05 55 00.

 

NYE show cancelled

by: Stephanie Horsman
31/12/2020

Three dancers from the Ballets de Monte-Carlo have tested positive for Covid-19, forcing the troupe to cancel their New Year’s Eve performance of LAC at the Grimaldi Forum.

The three dancers tested positive on Wednesday, prompting Choreographer and Director Jean-Christophe Maillot to announce the cancellation of the sold-out New Year’s Eve spectacle, LAC.

“Even if the current situation is not alarming, it is the duty and the responsibility of Jean-Christophe Maillot to protect all the members of the Compagnie des Ballets de Monte-Carlo,” read a statement by the ballet company. 

The positive tests were revealed from the weekly nasal tests each member of the troupe must take.

The three dancers are currently asymptomatic and are feeling well. Nevertheless, the positive tests mean the whole of the ballet will need to be retested, and if these tests come up negative, then the performances scheduled for the 2nd and 3rd may be able to go forward, but even this is still uncertain.

 

 

Nail-biting victory for Roca Team

by: Stephanie Horsman
31/12/2020

AS Monaco Basketball scraped through to secure a 66 to 64 win against Andorra in a Euro Cup match played on their home turf, sending both teams to the to the next round qualifiers.

In a too-close-for-comfort match against Andorra at Salle Gaston Médecin on Tuesday, the Roca Team eeked out a 66-64 win, sending both teams to the next round of the Euro Cup qualifiers with Monaco in third place and Andorra in fourth in their division.

It was not Monaco’s most consistent match, but they did the job in the end with the winning shot made with eight seconds left on the clock by Mathias Lessort.

Monaco made 24 shots out of 53 attempts, with five out of 16 three pointers converted. They had a massive 33 rebounds, with Will Yeguete taking nine on his own.

Yohan Choupas was the surprise of the night, scoring 12 points to break his former game record of seven. High scorer was Marcos Knight who earned his team 16 points. Darral Willis scored 11, and Captain Dee Bost and Will Yeguete tied with seven points each.

“It was more of a friendly match, but we won it and ended the year in a good way,” said Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic. “Now it’s time for the next round now, the Top 16. Yohan Choupas had more playing time in the last three European matches, he used his minutes well and played very well this Tuesday night. He is a young player who is improving game after game.”

With six wins and four losses in the Euro Cup regular season, the Roca Team finished with the same record as last year in the first round and are headed for the Top 16 in a pool comprised of Nanterre, Malaga and either Badalone or Bourg-en-Bresse.

 
Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball
 

Second vaccine approved in UK

by: Stephanie Horsman
31/12/2020

The Oxford University-Astra Zeneca vaccine has been approved by UK regulators, giving a second, easier-to-use option to the Covid-ravaged country and raising hopes for imminent approval in Europe and abroad.
Britons finally have something to celebrate this holiday season. The Oxford University-Astra Zeneca jab that has long been in the pipeline received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA), it was announced on Wednesday.
The first batches of the vaccine, which are already located in the UK – eliminating Brexit-related transport concerns – are expected to be rolled out from Monday.
The country pre-bought 100 million doses of the jab, with four million being available almost immediately, a relief for the country that is battling against a highly contagious new variant of the Covid-19 virus.
The Oxford vaccine needs only normal refrigeration so, unlike the BioNTech version which requires extremely low storage temperatures, it is easier to transport and distribute. Medical practices and facilities that have a standard medical refrigerator can now safely store the jab, eliminating the need for patients to receive it in a hospital setting.
In an about-face from the original protocol, the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is calling for single dose immunisations to move forward faster for those in at-risk groups, rather than waiting to provide half the number by waiting to give the required second dose.
“Everyone will still receive their second dose, and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection,” said a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson.
The vaccine had some trouble making it through the regulatory process as the results of the trials were somewhat confusing. The original clinical trials saw 62% efficacy in a single dose of the vaccine, but when a sub-group of trials were given a half dose, followed by a whole dose four weeks later, the rate went up to 90%.
Researchers note that none of those in the trials became seriously ill or were admitted to hospital.
Prof. Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and chief investigator of the clinical trial, stated, “The regulator’s assessment that this is a safe and effective vaccine is a landmark moment and an endorsement of the huge effort from a devoted international team of researchers and our dedicated trial participants.
“Though this is just the beginning, we will start to get ahead of the pandemic, protect health and economies when the vulnerable are vaccinated everywhere, as many as possible as soon possible.”
Astra Zeneca has said they are producing the vaccine without profit to the company.
 
 

EU governments sign Brexit trade deal

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/12/2020

European Union heads Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel have officially signed the hard-fought for Brexit trade agreement, as Britain’s Royal Air Force makes plans to fly the document to London to be signed by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Depending on perspective, this day is either historic or infamous, but either way it is finally a done deal. After four and half years of political posturing and legal wrangling, a trade deal between the European Union and Great Britain has been approved on the eve of the UK’s official departure from the bloc. 

The signatures start a new era of trade between the 27-country coalition and the United Kingdom, who voted in June of 2016 to leave, a first in EU history. The provisional application of the new rules will begin on 1st January 2021, though actual ratification will not be done by the European Parliament until the end of February.

Whilst certainly not a perfect plan, it is at least a blueprint for the two entities to work from. The deal allows Britain to retain zero-quota and zero-tariff access to the EU single market and averts the dreaded “no-deal” Brexit feared by both sides.

The deal had been caught up on a few sticking points, including fishing rights and “level playing field” clauses. In last minute arbitrations between the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his British counterpart David Frost, a deal was hammered out just before Christmas that was acceptable to both sides.

Though this is a major break-through in EU-UK relations, many feel there is little to celebrate. A divorce is a divorce, no matter how amicable, and the uncertainties of the days, weeks and months to come are still looming.

Implementation of the new deal is bound to cause confusion and disruption, though it is hoped this agreement will mitigate the worst-case-scenarios envisioned by a no-deal crash out.

 
Photo source: Pixabay