Light at the End of the Covid-19 Tunnel in Monaco?

As the total number of Covid-19 infections registered in the community rises above 2000 since the beginning of the pandemic, there were some encouraging signs in the last couple of days of a reduced number of infections – 4 on the 7th March and 5 on the 8th March. Not to mention that 1800 of the 2000+ infected have been cured. 

The positivity rate which is the percentage of those tested who are positive has dipped below 5% in the latest week. At its height infections were running well into double digits daily. 

Reportedly a total of 40 people are now cared for at the Princess Grace Hospital Center, 11 of whom are being treated in intensive care, and less than 80 people in addition are supported with in-home care. 

It’s too early to tell but let’s hope the new norm is single digits or better still low single digits, while we hope to see the epidemic ultimately vanquished completely. 

Vaccinations

On Thursday March 4, the number of people vaccinated within Monegasque territory was just short of 8.500 people or just over 22.2% of the population, against 21.6% a week earlier. 

And of those 8.500 or so people, about 85% of them, over 7.000, had also received their booster injection in Monaco. 

That is well over three times the percentage of people in France where less than 6% of the population had received at least one dose of vaccine, and less than 3% received both doses. 

In metropolitan Nice close to 50.000 people have received at least one dose.

Cross Border Controls During the French Partial Lockdown at Weekends 

Last weekend, hard not to notice that motorists and other cross-border travellers were being systematically checked. The Principality has increased its controls at the entrance to Monaco – even more so than those of the previous weekend: 2,811 vehicles were therefore checked compared with around 2,500 at last weekend. 

Traffic, in anticipation, was much lighter than normal weekend traffic. 

Reportedly just under 10% of those checked or 270 vehicles were not authorized to enter the Principality. At Monaco-Monte-Carlo Station, over 400 train passengers were screened, and 10%, around 40 of them were denied entry.