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News
Brought to you by: Monaco Life
Photo: Caitlin O'Neil-McKeown[/caption]
The annual flu outbreak has started early in France, as it did last year, according to IRSAN, the French research institute.
Ile-de-France has already witnessed an epidemic, with a sudden surge in cases, while eight out of 12 metropolitan regions are in the pre-epidemic phase, according to the latest weekly bulletin on influenza published by Agence Publique France.
So far, the south-east of France has escaped the worst of the virus, but acute gastroenteritis has reached epidemic proportions in the Grand-Est and PACA regions.
In 2015-2016, the epidemic peaked later, in March-April. Public Health France has issued a reminder that vaccination is the best way to protect against flu and its complications, but protection occurs only from 15 days after vaccination.
In Monaco, the 2017-2018 vaccine, which requires a medical prescription but is reimbursed 100 percent to those insured by the Monaco health service, has been available in pharmacies since October and offers protection for 12 months.
Side effects – such as sensitivity to the injection site and minimal flu-like reaction – are rare and not serious, usually disappearing in one to two days.
Monaco’s football club is looking north for a new partnership, by offering to buy a majority stake in the historic club of Belgian football, Cercle Brugge, to benefit from the Belgian school of youth development.
The second-tier Belgian outfit has caught the eye of Monaco – currently top of France’s Ligue 1 – as the club looks to the future.
"AS Monaco FC wishes to announce that it has made a purchase offer ... to acquire a majority stake in the club Cercle Brugge KSV," AS Monaco said in a statement.
Adding that the endeavour will provide an additional stage in the development of young players from the AS Monaco Academy, between the reserve team (in the CFA division) and AS Monaco first team, Monaco also claimed, “The primary objective will be to achieve promotion to the Belgian first division."
Cercle Brugge were relegated last season and need outside investment to maximise its chances of returning to the top flight.
"It is an open secret that healthy business in First Division B of professional football in Belgium is not easy, partly due to the limited revenue from television fees and the limited media attention and by the high operational costs," the announcement also said.
This venture is part of AS Monaco's strategy for developing young talent and a general meeting of Cercle Brugge's shareholders will take a decision by the end of February.
