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Day: 17 January 2022

CHPG under strain

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/01/2022

About a hundred Princess Grace Hospital staff are currently Covid positive, leaving shortages at the facility at a time when hospital admissions are on the rise.

The Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG) is experiencing the fifth wave of the pandemic just like the rest of us.

The start of the new year has seen a marked rise in people flocking to the hospital for Covid treatment, and the toll has been taken not only on the populace, but on hospital employees as well.

“Since 3rd January, we have been in a very complicated situation because there are many patients infected with Covid with relatively severe forms,” said Doctor Mathieu Liberatore, Head of Service at the CHPG, in an interview with government channel Monaco info. “But there are also all the other pathologies to be taken care of: non-Covid diseases, in particular cancerous, infectious, or even inflammatory diseases that must absolutely be treated.”

Meanwhile, the hospital is having to cope with around 100 Covid-positive staff on leave, of a total work force of 2,700.

“Like the rest of the population, CHPG staff are also very affected by this fifth wave,” said Doctor Liberatore.

While essential treatments are still being maintained, the doctor says much of the non-essential health care has been postponed, adding, “In all departments, beds are freed up to accommodate Covid patients.”

And the toll on staff, says the doctor, is obvious, with high stress levels and exhaustion on the rise.

“There are days when colleagues find it difficult to cope,” said Doctor Liberatore. “There is physical and psychological fatigue. Colleagues who are on leave must be replaced. It is the other operational agents who replace them, sometimes at short notice. The situation is therefore complicated. We’re hunkering down hoping it will pass quickly, but we know we’re facing another month in this somewhat complicated situation.”

The Prince’s government last week urged people with mild Covid not to go to the emergency room, but to call their GP for guidance. People who have trouble breathing should call 18 or 112.

Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms, which includes fever, fatigue, headache, cough, sore throat, body aches and loss of smell, should contact the Covid call centre on +377 92 05 55 00, which is open seven days a week between 8am and 8pm.

 

 

 

New A8 rest stop to have views and terraces

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/01/2022

The days of the grotty Beausoleil rest stop are coming to a close on the A8, where renovations will transform underutilised space and offer high-end amenities.

The A8 motorway at Beausoleil is undergoing several big transformations. Not only is the long-awaited new interchange being built, ostensibly to ease traffic congestion in and around the Principality, but the last rest stop on the French road system is about to be renovated, giving it higher end touches and food options.

The first stone of the interchange was laid in July 2021, and as work progresses on the site, the Beausoleil rest area is getting a facelift as well.

The sub-concessioner for the service stop has been handed to fuel distributor Leclerc and the vehicle path is being altered in order to bring together the upper space where the petrol pumps and the shops are with the lower car park, which has been underused.

Some new features include a double terrace to help manage pedestrian access as well as to give visitors a chance to admire the panoramic view.

“Thanks to this terrace, users will have a magnificent 360° view of the sea, the coastal towns, the Principality of Monaco and the mountains behind,” Laura Tardiveau, communications assistant at Vinci Autoroutes, told Monaco Matin. “It is the most beautiful view of the Escota network.”

Other new aspects will be a fresco by Eric Garance and premium macaroons sold by Pradier. The building itself will be extended and will have two quick stop establishments, La Croissanterie and Comptoir Café.

“The Côte d’Azur illustrator Eric Garance will paint a large fresco representing the Côte d’Azur above the corner reserved for regional products,” added Tardiveau.

The service areas of La Scoperta and Beausoleil will change names. The new names have not yet been revealed, but will be made public at the time of the inaugural ceremony of the two areas.

 

SEE ALSO:

New exit road to be delivered by 2022

 

 

Photo source: Vinci Autoroutes

 

 

 

Monaco hammer Clermont 4-0 in Clement’s first home game

by: Luke Entwistle
17/01/2022

A dominant AS Monaco beat Clermont Foot 4-0 in Philippe Clement’s first game in the home dugout on Sunday, as Wissam Ben Yedder registered a brace on his return.

Prince Albert was also in attendance as he watched the Principality side secure their first league win of 2022 in the first game of the year played at the Stade Louis II.

Monaco began at a high tempo and were unlucky not to be rewarded in the opening minutes of the match. Sofiane Diop was felled in the box and the penalty was given, but following a lengthy VAR review, the decision was overturned, perplexing Clement who, after the game, said, “I was not happy not getting the penalty, it seemed to me a clear penalty… and Sofiane told me after the game that it was a clear penalty.”

Despite the setback, Monaco continued to dominate. Gelson Martins should have got on the scoresheet, but his close-range shot was well blocked by the outstretched arm of the keeper, whilst Kevin Volland should have done better with his two headed chances, none of which he could direct on target.

Monaco did finally get their reward on the stroke of half-time, Diop latching onto an acrobatic flick from the ubiquitous Jean Lucas to open the scoring.

Clermont posed little to no threat throughout the encounter, the wildlife in attendance at the stadium highlighting the one-sided nature of this contest. A large group of pigeons occupied the space behind the untested Monaco defence for large swathes of the match. They even changed halves as the players did at half-time, confident in the knowledge that their feeding wouldn’t be threatened by a Clermont offensive, meaning they could continue to peck away at the rich Stade Louis II turf unperturbed by the ongoing match.

The continued presence of pigeons on pitch highlighted the one-sided nature of this contest

Ismail Jakobs gave way for the returning Ben Yedder at half-time. He showed no lingering effects from his recent Covid infection as he quickly got on the scoresheet, converting an irresistible Caio Henrique cross.

The French international striker doubled up soon after. Having been played in on goal by Diop, he was wiped out by the keeper. He quickly picked himself up and converted from the spot, registering his 12th goal of the Ligue 1 season, making him joint top scorer in the division.

Henrique’s late fourth was the cherry on the cake, as the Brazilian netted his first goal for the club. Clermont finally showed some fight late-on, but couldn’t convert a flurry of chances for a consolation goal.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CY0us8jlueR/?utm_medium=copy_link

In the post-match press conference, Clement told the assembled media that he was particularly pleased with his side’s second half performance. “Second-half you see after scoring the second goal, that freed a lot of players, and we scored two more, but it could have been even more than four goals today.”

The win allows Monaco to close in on the podium, with rivals Marseille dropping points. If other results go their way, a win against Montpellier next Sunday could see them within a point of the top three.

 

 

Photos by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

France approves vaccine pass

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/01/2022

The French parliament gave the thumbs up to the controversial vaccine pass on Sunday, excluding unvaccinated people from restaurants, cinemas and other venues. 

It’s official. France now has a vaccine pass, following in the steps of several of its European neighbours, which they hope will help in the struggle to contain the Covid virus.

Despite being unpopular with anti-vaxers, the lower house of parliament gave a strong show of support for a vaccine pass, voting 215 for and 58 against. It will soon replace the current health pass system and requires proof of inoculation in order for people to use or enter public places such as cafes, cinemas, restaurants, trade shows and long-distance trains. It only applies to people aged 16 and over. 

A simple health pass (a negative test, complete vaccination certificate or recovery certificate) will remain valid for people over 12-years-old to access health establishments and medico-social services, except for emergencies, for patients and those accompanying them.

Minors between the ages of 12 and 15 will still be required to present the current health pass to access leisure activities, restaurants and bars, fairs or interregional public transport.

Meanwhile, presenting a pass belonging to someone else and passing on a pass to someone to be used fraudulently will now be an offence punishable by a fixed fine of €1,000 for the first offence, compared with the current €135.

Possession of several false passes will be punishable by five years in prison plus a fine of €75,000.

President Emmanuel Macron has been outspoken on his stance on the matter, telling Le Parisien last week that he wanted to “piss off” the unvaccinated, virtually forcing them to get their jabs by making their lives complicated.

The move comes in an election year, and though Macron has not said he is officially running for a second term, it is widely expected he will announce his candidacy soon.

Thousands protested against the bill in Paris and other French cities including Nice on Saturday, but the numbers were greatly diminished over the previous week when Macron’s remarks were still fresh.

France has been seeing six-digit daily cases, including some record-breaking days when the case numbers were over 300,000. On Sunday, there were 278,129 new confirmed infections, but only 98 deaths, making this fifth wave far less deadly than the previous one. Additionally, patients who require ICU treatment are also way down from the March-April 2020 peaks.  

The Ministry of Health said on Saturday that almost 78% of the population is fully vaccinated, according to the latest estimates.

 

 

Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash

 

 

 

Young talent Matazo extends his Monaco contract

by: Luke Entwistle
17/01/2022

AS Monaco’s Belgian prospect Eliot Matazo has vowed to “climb the ladder under the Monegasque jersey” as he signed a new contract keeping him at the Principality side until 2026.

The Belgian U21 midfielder has asserted himself as a first-team regular this season making 11 appearances in Ligue 1, six of which have been starts. He has prospered in a double pivot role alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, a partnership that is constantly improving as familiarity and understanding grows.

In a press conference on Friday, AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement told Monaco Life, “I’m happy that he’s re-signed because the important thing here is the project with the young players. It is clear that he has talent.” The Belgian manager, however, said that his compatriot needs to improve: “In terms of selection, he has to prove himself every day.”

In a press release, Vice-President Oleg Petrov was full of praise for Matazo, saying, “After having stood out during his time at the Academy, Eliot quickly adapted to the requirements of the professional group and showed very good things on the pitch.”

In the same release, Matazo thanked the club that has developed him from a young age, stating, “I would like to thank the Club for once again showing its confidence in me. Since my arrival in 2018, I have had the opportunity to assert myself and progress within AS Monaco Academy.”

Signing until 2026, Matazo now has the task of repaying the faith that the hierarchy have shown in him, and he says he is determined to do so. “I am attached to it (the club) and I intend to continue to be fully involved in order to climb the ladder under the Monegasque jersey.”

 

 

Photo left to right: Oleg Petrov, Eliot Matazo and Paul Mitchell, source AS Monaco football club.