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Month: August 2021

PACA reactivates ‘white plan’ amid 43% ICU occupancy

by: Cassandra Tanti
04/08/2021

France’s Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region will be implementing its ‘white plan’ in hospitals as it struggles to cope with the highest number of Covid patients in the country.
Nearby Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur (PACA) has joined Corsica in launching the emergency measure to counter a fourth wave of the virus, being driven by the highly contagious Delta variant.
According to the latest government data, intensive care occupancy has reached 43% in the PACA, compared to 26% nationally, with 197 ICU patients in the region’s hospitals.
The ‘white plan’ (plan blanche) means that hospitals can prepare for a forthcoming rise in cases, including measures such as reorganising spaces to include more beds, transferring non-urgent patients to other services, and postponing or changing non-urgent operations.
The move comes as no surprise. The incidence rate in the Alpes-Maritimes, a department of PACA, has skyrocketed in recent weeks to reach 733 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to a national incidence rate of 225.
Activation of the white plan is expected to make an additional 100 ICU beds available within the week, as health staff are called back from vacation.
According to reports, the average age of patients in the region is 54 and almost all are unvaccinated.
The city of Bastia in Corsica reactivated its white plan last week for a minimum period of four weeks, with the hospital more than 79% occupied.
 
 
Photo source: Pixabay
 
 

Outrage over racial slurs against AS Monaco player

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/08/2021

AS Monaco has filed a complaint over alleged racial abuse hurled at Aurelien Tchouameni during a Champions League qualifier match against Sparta Prague.
Sparta Prague fans have been referred to the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for purportedly chanting racist slurs directed at Monaco striker Aurelien Tchouameni during the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round in the Czech capital.
Tchouameni had just scored with a header in the 37th minute of play, the first goal of the match, when the chanting broke out. Teammates immediately informed match official, referee Michael Oliver, as well as Monaco Head Coach Niko Kovac to complain. There was a three-minute game stoppage in order to follow UEFA protocols for such situations.
A message was then played on the public address system stating that the game would be shut down if any further racist remarks were heard.
In the locker room during halftime, the players were reported to be shaken by the turn of events. Coach Kovac offered strong leadership, reminding the players that, whilst the incident was unacceptable, they were there to play football and that they must return to the field with their heads held high and continue to play.
“We are all devastated that in the 21st century this kind of thing still happens on the football pitch or indeed in society. We are all equal, and we are here to play football. I must say that I am very proud of my players because we had the right reaction,” Kovac said. “A football field is part of the world. Those types of attitudes have to be stopped. I hope it doesn’t happen again.”
The Red and Whites were vindicated in the end, winning the game 2 to nil.
“We won on the pitch and we won against racism. I think that is the most important message tonight, and what is also important is to say is that it was only a small number of supporters, a minority, who were guilty of this,” said Kovac, who added that he spoke to the opponent’s coach and told him he knew it wasn’t his fault, but that his players deserved respect.
This isn’t the Czech Republic’s only racially spurred incident of late. Last April, Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela was found guilty of assaulting Ranger’s player Glen Kamara in a tunnel after a Europa League meeting in March. Kudela was banned for 10 matches.
Monaco heads back to the Principality for the return leg, which is to be played Tuesday next at Stade Louis II, with the stakes being a place in the play-offs against the winner of the tie between Shakhtar Donetsk and KRC Genk, on 17th and 25th August.
 
 
 

Covid latest in Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
03/08/2021

After weeks of rapid elevation, Monaco’s incidence rate has stabilised at 276. It comes as the Principality sees the highest number of Covid tests conducted since the pandemic began.
According to the latest figures released by the government, in the week leading up to 1st August, 6,904 PCR and antigen tests were undertaken in Monaco by both residents and non-residents. That’s almost 1,300 more than the previous week’s record number of tests.
It coincides with a 24th July move to limit access to Monaco’s restaurants and cafés to foreigners with a health pass.
Amidst the latest coronavirus screening, 3.36% of tests came back positive. This is a slight drop on the 4% positivity rate seen throughout the month of July.
Meanwhile, the last week of July saw a stabilisation of the incidence rate at 276. This figure, which represents the number of positive cases per a population of 100,000, began rising at the start of June, when it was 10.
Hospitalisations also remain stable, with 13 people currently being treated at the Princess Grace Hospital. Of these, three patients are in ICU, one of whom is a resident of Monaco.
 
 
Photo by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
 
 

Ligue 1 opener featuring AS Monaco   

by: Stephanie Horsman
03/08/2021

AS Monaco will be playing the very first Ligue 1 match of the season this Friday, with fans in attendance, when they take on FC Nantes at Stade Louis II.
After their spectacular 2020-21 season, AS Monaco are back to show they’re still on form this Friday 6thAugust, hosting FC Nantes in the first game of the Ligue 1 2021-22 season.
Fans will be able to come to the stadium to see the Red and Whites live and in action, a welcome change to last year’s closed-door sessions.
With eight French league titles, five victories in the Coupe de France, one Coupe de la Ligue, and in Europe, appearances in the finals of both the Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Champions League, AS Monaco is amongst the most elite clubs in French football.
AS Monaco and FC Nantes have played 30 games to date in Ligue 1 action. The Red and Whites have come away victorious in 18 of those games, ten at home at Stade Louis II and eight at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes. With such evenly matched teams, the game is sure to be an exciting one.
Health measures will be in place and a health pass for those 16 and over is required for entry. For tickets, visit the team’s website at asmonaco.com or go to the ticket office at Stade Louis II. A maximum of six tickets per person is allowed and kids under 16 get a reduced rate.
 
 
 
Photo of AS Monaco last season, source AS Monaco Football Club
 
 
 

August cinema under the stars

by: Stephanie Horsman
03/08/2021

The Open Air Cinema is the place to be in August for new releases featuring perennial faves Liam Neeson, Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman, giving the public their fill of drama, action, comedy and adventure.
Europe’s largest outdoor movie theatre is now in full summer mode offering up the newest blockbuster films in an incomparable setting overlooking the sea.
August’s schedule is filled with Hollywood’s latest big releases, including Ice Road starring Liam Neeson and Laurence Fishburne, Marvel Comic’s Black Widow with Scarlett Johansson, Disney’s Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Reminiscence with Hugh Jackman.
Other anticipated films that will hit the big screen are the ensemble cast action adventure film The Suicide Squad, the Ryan Reynolds-led comedy Free Guy, family films Baby Boss 2: Family Business and Space Jam: A New Legacy with American basketball superstar LeBron James, GI Joe spin-off Snake Eyes, and dystopian action-horror film The Forever Purge.
The fun spills over into September where, until the 7th, cinema buffs can watch the films missed in August such as Reminiscence, The Forever Purge and Snake Eyes. Additionally, there will also be screenings of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Doors open at 8:30pm, previews at 9pm and the film starts at 9:30pm in August, while in September, doors open at 8pm, with previews at 8:30pm and the film starting at 9pm.
Tickets are €11.50 for adults and €9 for students. Dogs are welcome. For more information and full programme details, visit the cinema’s website at www.cinemas2monaco.com/
 
 
 

Swiss National Day celebrated at The Fairmont

by: Stephanie Horsman
03/08/2021

The Club Suisse de Monaco celebrated their national day in style on the Horizon Deck at the Fairmont Hotel over the weekend with food, games and laughter.

Swiss National Day was celebrated on Sunday 1st August by the Club Suisse de Monaco who treated themselves to a lunch on the Fairmont’s Horizon Deck followed by a tombola offering an amazing array of prizes, including hotel room vouchers, beauty treatments, massages and food vouchers.

Swiss National Day was first celebrated in 1891, though it has only been an official holiday since 1994. The date was inspired by the Federal Charter of 1291 when three cantons joined forces in an action that came to be seen as the founding of Switzerland. The celebrations are marked with fireworks, paper lantern parades, strings of Swiss flags and bonfires.

Monaco’s Swiss population are one of the oldest and most numerous ex-pat communities in the world.

During Sunday’s event, Corinne Bertani, member of the Monaco National Council of representative of the External Relations Commission, highlighted the importance of the Swiss community in Monaco and the relationship between the Principality and Switzerland. Additionally, President of the Club Suisse de Monaco, Dr. Arik Röschke, emphasized the similarities between Switzerland, the Club Suisse de Monaco and the Principality as whole, speaking of the “many different cultures, languages and generations in one place peacefully united.”

The Club Suisse de Monaco was founded in 1949 and is a social club that connects the local Monegasque, Swiss, and international communities, uniting them for events throughout the Principality.

In addition to celebrating Swiss National Day, the club organises several events each year, including a Christmas Gala, various talks and conferences, as well as outings such as concerts and trips.

 
 
 
Photo from left to right: Silvia Mischler (Vice-President), Corinne Bertani (Conseillère Nationale) and Dr. Arik Röschke (President) at Horizon Deck.