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Flu shot takes on new importance

by: Cassandra Tanti
30/09/2020

The government is calling on everyone in Monaco to get a flu shot this year to minimise the impact of the seasonal influenza virus on the Principality amid an ongoing Covid epidemic.
Everyone from the age of six months is recommended to get a flu vaccination, while the government says it is “an absolute duty” for all caregivers and social workers in contact with vulnerable people, as well as State workers, to get the jab.
Doctors, nurses, midwives and pharmacists can give a flu shot and the vaccination is refunded for anyone affiliated with Monegasque Social Security.
There are a number of advantages to having the flu shot.
Seasonal flu and Covid, although caused by very different viruses, have identical symptoms: fever, cough, fatigue, and muscle pain. Diagnosis will therefore be easier if an infected person shows these symptoms but is vaccinated against influenza.
Each year, some flu patients are admitted to the emergency department with complications, therefore hospital resources need to be available to address serious forms of Covid.
Vaccination can also reduce the number of PCR tests carried out to determine if a person has coronavirus, when they are actually contaminated with the flu.
When a person has symptoms that are evocative of Covid, professional or school closures are the rule pending the results of PCR tests to reduce the risk of spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Therefore, vaccination decreases the number of closures.
Finally, eliminating the flu reduces the number of days of people will have to be away from school or work.
For information regarding a vaccination, people are encouraged to contact their GP.
 
 

Water bike challenge pulls in major funds

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/09/2020

Princess Charlene’s epic fundraising adventure, The Crossing: Calvi – Monaco Water Bike Challenge, has raised more than €600,000 for her charity.
It was a fundraising event like none other: a princess, her brother, two teams of celebrity athletes, and a 180-kilometre sea crossing from Corsica to Monaco.
The Water Bike Challenge not only drew headlines across the globe, it also drew in the cash, with generous donors putting forward a total of €603,912 for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
“The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation wishes to thank all the donors and sponsors who participated in the race ‘The Crossing: Calvi – Monaco Water Bike Challenge’. They turned this unforgettable sporting feat into a human and charity success,” said the foundation.
With the funds that were raised, the Foundation will strengthen its partnerships and increase the number of projects to fight against drowning, raise awareness of water safety and promote the values of sport.
YPI Yachts, Reach Food Service, Richard Mille, G&M Design, Activ5, Adamas Sports, Monaco Asset Management, Balkin Estates, Metabolic Balance and Appleton Capital were all major sponsors of the event.
The Foundation also thanked its partners of the race for their contribution: The City of Calvi, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Yacht Club de Monaco, Brooks Brothers, Eaux de Zilia, Nike Monte-Carlo, Scicon Sports, Maison Lino, Fendi, Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, MyMuscle, Wine Palace Monte-Carlo, Air Corsica, N-Wines, and Monaco Textiles Pro.
Princess Charlene led team Serenity to victory on 13th September, coming in 14 minutes ahead of team Notorious, led by her brother and General Secretary of her Foundation, Gareth Wittstock.
 
Photo: Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation
 

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Princess’ Serenity wins The Crossing


 

Half year balance sheet takes stock of crisis

by: Cassandra Tanti
22/09/2020

The crisis brought about by Covid-19 cost the Principality €900 million in profits for the first half of the year, the latest report from IMSEE has revealed.
The Monegasque Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (IMSEE) unveiled the Principality’s Economic Bulletin to the press on Monday 21st September.
Alongside Government Ministers Didier Gamerdinger and Jean Castellini, Director of IMSEE Sophie Vincent discussed the exceptional nature of the April-May-June 2020 period.
According to Ms Vincent, in the first half of the year, the Principality’s turnover plunged 13% compared to the same period in 2019, losing more than €900 million.
“Only two sectors resisted the trend: Construction and Scientific and Technical Activities, and Administrative and Support services. On the other hand, the hotel and catering industry lost 60% of its turnover and there was also a very clear decline in wholesale trade, but also in retail trade,” she revealed, adding, “foreign trade fell back to the level of 2016-2017, recording -51% for purchases and -37% for sales.”
At the end of June 2020, there were 8,000 fewer jobs compared to June 2019 (- 13.8%) in the private sector, despite rebounds of +13% between May and June once confinement was lifted. The hotel and catering industry alone saw a jump of 74%.
Meanwhile, due to business support measures, the number of business closures was lower than in 2019, with 208 against 268.
Regarding employment, Minister of Social Affairs and Health Didier Gamerdinger said the aid benefits implemented by the government, such as the CTTR, “erected a protective shield for companies and their employees.”
However, he announced that five new social claims were underway in the Principality, in addition to the existing 20, concerning around 30 employees in the yachting sector.
He also confirmed that the State and its social partners were currently working on the concept of labor flexibility to further stem the effects of the crisis to come.
 
 

Brighter, faster and more powerful

by: Stephanie Horsman
22/09/2020

The Principality now has a new, easily identifiable way to locate electric vehicle recharging stations, introducing bright yellow ‘Monaco On’ recharging points that are also faster and more powerful.

Due to higher demand, the government of Monaco is gradually replacing randomly-placed self-service outlets with electric vehicle service stations in public car parks and on the road, grouping together several terminals as a way to make them more readily recognisable to users.

The new outlets will be faster and more powerful, in response to the latest breed of electric and hybrid vehicle’s needs. They have always been free to use, only now, they will be more clearly recognisable and efficient.

The Casino, Grimaldi Forum and Portier car parks are already equipped and the Fontvieille Shopping Centre is next on the list. A total of 91 fast charging stations are installed or in the process of being installed. 71 of them are 7kva stations and 20 are 22kva stations. On the road, nine sites are on offer. There are 11 fast charging stations, seven semi-fast charging stations and four slow charging stations currently online.

There will be more stations rolling out in the next few weeks and they will mostly be found in high-traffic areas such as shopping areas or attractions. To coordinate and unify, the on-street terminals will soon be dressed in yellow like those in the car parks, making them amply visible to motorists.

“Ecological vehicles should be favoured in an urban space such as ours. It is in this perspective that the government is now developing an ever larger and more efficient network of charging stations, which are gradually being revamped in order to be noticed more easily, thanks to the Monaco On brand,” said Minister of Equipment, Environment and Town Planning Marie-Pierre Gramaglia.

It marks the next step in the government’s ongoing policy to support the use of electromobility in the Principality. Policies to this effect have been in place since 1994 and include such benefits as reductions in prices of annual public parking subscriptions, free street parking and no annual registration fees. There are almost 1,000 free charging points around the city, and no resident is more than 300 metres from one of these stations.

 
Photo from left to right: Gilles Manera of the Public Parkings Service, Minister of Equipment, Environment and Town Planning Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Director of the Mission for the Energy Transition Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux, and Director of Urban Planning Jean-Luc Puyo © Communication Department / Stéphane Danna

 

 

210kg waste collected on World Clean Up Day

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/09/2020

Prince Albert has set an example in Monaco and taken part in World Clean Up Day with his children Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
On Saturday 19th September, Monaco held its second edition of World Clean Up Day in the streets of the Principality.
The waste collection and public awareness event was organised at the initiative of Sébastien Uscher and the Stand Up for the Planet association, in partnership with the Mairie de Monaco, Decathlon Monaco, the Mission for the Energy Transition of the Princely Government, the Monegasque Sanitation Society and the Eco-Angels (Stars n’Bars).
Around a hundred people took part in four cleaning projects that were carried out in the Principality and surrounding municipalities, which yielded 210 kilogrammes of waste.
 
Click on the photos below to enlarge…


© Photos: Eric Mathon / Princely Palace
 
 
 

Port goes car-free for a day

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/09/2020

The streets surrounding Port Hercule will be closed to all motorised traffic this weekend, giving people in Monaco an opportunity to enjoy ‘Sunday by Bike’.

The Port District of Monaco will be completely closed to cars, buses and other motorised vehicles on Sunday 20th September from 10am to 6pm for a ‘Sunday by Bike’ event being held in honour of European Mobility Week.

The event, organised by the Department of the Environment, aims to promote the use of non-motorised mobility to “re-appropriate” this territory usually occupied by cars. They are encouraging people to come by foot, bicycle, scooter, skateboard, roller skates or any other non-motorised type of transport.

Activities have been set up on the Quay Albert Ier, opposite Rue Princesse Caroline, and include an opportunity to test a bike or electric scooter and a witness a demonstration on how Monabike works.

To ensure everyone’s safety, helmets for under 18s are required whilst riding a scooter or bicycle.

Certain traffic lanes will be closed including Boulevard Albert 1er, part of Avenue JF Kennedy and Route de la Piscine.

Strict compliance with the current health regulations will be enforced and barrier gestures will be in place. Masks are compulsory for all participants who are not involved in a sports activity and hydroalcoholic gel will be available at locations around the venue.