IN FRANCE HEALTH MINISTRY REPORTS MORE THAN 4,545 589 COVID-19 CASES

USPA NEWS - In the last 24 hours, 476 patients entered intensive care against 408 the day before, according to data from the French Health publishes (Sante Publique France). The total number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 was 27,242 on last Friday, with 2,048 more new admissions than the day before. New restrictive measures have been announced, to be effective from March 27, 2021 in three new departments of France : Aube, Nievre and Rhone, which makes a total fo 19 departments placed under the « strict surveillance » as their incidence rate of COVID-19, spread is rising up, above the limit. These restrictions are called by the French govern,went "Strong braking measures », as announced Thursday The French Minister of Health, Olivier Veran. On the other hand, dozens of French Doctors from Parisian Hospitals (APHP), have signed a petition published in Le Journal du Dimanche (Sunday´s newspaper and le Monde, demanding the government to lockdown the country, explaining how the hospitals and especially the ICU´s units are overwhelmed already, and might be obliged to : « make a selection » in the patients groups, as far as the « priority » is concerned, to ease the intensive care facilities.

In the last 24 hours, 476 patients entered intensive care against 408 the day before, according to data from the French Health publishes (Sante Publique France). The total number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 was 27,242 on last Friday, with 2,048 more new admissions than the day before. New restrictive measures have been announced, to be effective from March 27, 2021 in three new departments of France : Aube, Nievre and Rhone, which makes a total fo 19 departments placed under the « strict surveillance » as their incidence rate of COVID-19, spread is rising up, above the limit. These restrictions are called by the French govern,went "Strong braking measures », as announced Thursday The French Minister of Health, Olivier Veran. On the other hand, dozens of French Doctors from Parisian Hospitals (APHP), have signed a petition published in Le Journal du Dimanche (Sunday´s newspaper and le Monde, demanding the government to lockdown the country, explaining how the hospitals and especially the ICU´s units are overwhelmed already, and might be obliged to : « make a selection » in the patients groups, as far as the « priority » is concerned, to ease the intensive care facilities. As far as the schools are concerned, they also seem to be very much infected, where the COVID-19 is spreading strongly, so that some union teacher are also asking for closing the schools or reschedule the Easter holidays earlier, to brake the spread among the pupils“¦ New health protocols are in preparation for schools. The Minister of Education Jean Michel Blanquer, responded that : Classes will be closed as soon as a student is tested positive for COVID-19. The measure will apply from kindergarten to 12th grade. School sports activities should be done outdoors as much as possible. "The question is not whether [schools] can be opened, but ... to ensure the sanitary conditions which allow this opening": despite the urgent calls to close schools. explained the Minister of Education Jean Michel Blanquer.------------------------------- As a reminder, the pandemic has infected more than 125.4 million people worldwide and caused more than 2.75 million deaths since its onset at the end of 2019. The United States remains the most affected country with more than 30 million cases and 546,807 deaths. Brazil comes second in number of deaths (303,462), followed by Mexico (200,211), India (160,692) and the United Kingdom (126,684). The European Union has set up an "Alternative to the vaccina passport" l, rather, "the health certificate" which could be available within two to three months throughout the European Union. It would be operational from June 15 according to Thierry Breton, European Commissioner, Internal Market, in charge of vaccines, who indicated on LCI TV .. This tool would facilitate travel and access to certain places (restaurants, museums. ..) currently closed due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

MINISTERS OF LABOR E. BORNE & OF CULTURE R. BACHELOT TESTED POSITIVE AND HOSPITALIZED----- The Minister of Labor, Elisabeth Borne, as well as Roseline Bachelot, Minister of Culture have tested positive for COVID-19 and hospitalized. They are now found at their homes. Elisabeth Borne explained to the newspaper Le Parisien to have lived a "distressing" experience and to have seen herself "occasionally administered oxygen". The minister, who says she is "better" even if she "will need a certain time to recover an Olympic form", had tested positive on March 14.------------------------------ “I had the South African variant, which is not very present in France. I don't understand where I caught it because I am very careful on a daily basis. I put on gel and wear the mask at all times and always favor videoconferences, “she explains. As for the Minister of Culture, Roseline Bachelot, her friend the great singer, Michel Sardou (Who sings the song "Conemara", he is in quarantine, after having been her contact person. In France, three new departments are under surveillance (Rhône, Aube and Nièvre). In the past 24 hours, more than 65,000 positive cases have been identified - even if this figure includes a catch-up from the day before. French hospitals have 4,709 patients in intensive care, 58 more than Wednesday.

VACCINE ROLL UP IN FRANCE IS STILL IN SLOW MOTION---------------------------------------------------------------------- France has exceeded the 10 million people vaccinated mark with nearly 400,000 injections of the COVID-19 vaccine administered on Friday, the Minister of Health, Olivier Veran, announced on Twitter. “With nearly 400,000 injections (including 140,000 Astra Zeneca) made this Friday, France passes the 10 million mark. And 7.5 million French people vulnerable to COVID-19 have received at least a 1st dose, “said Olivier Veran.-------------------------------------------------------- According to figures from the Directorate General of Health, 7,519,740 people received a first dose of vaccine, or 11.2% of the total population and 14.3% of the adult population. The number of people who received two doses is 2,653,261. VETS & DENTISTS WILL BE ABLE ALSO TO VACCINATE AGAINST COVID-19-------------------------------------------- Veterinarians and dentists will be able to vaccinate against COVID-19, after an opinion from the High Authority for Health, which has yet to be formally approved by the government.Other categories of health professionals are affected by this expansion, such as pharmacists in analytical laboratories. According to the HAS, this will allow 252,000 additional professionals to be able to inject the vaccine against the COVID-19. THE « GREEN PASS » OR HEALTH CERTIFICATE TO BE AVAILABLE FROM 15 JUNE WITHIN EU--------------------- At the beginning of March, the European Commission, that is to say the 7 Member States of the European Union, validated a "digital green pass" summer by the 2 even if the French public opinion seemed resistant. Thierry Breton, European Commissioner of the Internal Market and in charge of vaccines, for the EU, presented Sunday March 28, 2021 to the RTL Grand Jury, this health certificate, which could be available on the website of the Ministry of Health within two to three months throughout the European Union . "As long as we can be sure that every European who wants to be vaccinated will have equitable access to the vaccine, as will be the case in the next two to three months, it will be good if we can have a certificate health care that demonstrates your condition, “he explained. This digital space will mention the personal information and certain health data of its holder, such as the PCR tests recently carried out or the anti-COVID vaccine injections administered. Access to certain countries or to certain public places (restaurants, cultural places, etc.), currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, could be made on presentation of this health pass.

THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR ANNOUNCES POLICE CHECKS WITH 90,000 POLICE OFFICERS DEPLOYED IN FRANCE As of the last weekend, 90,000 police and gendarmes were mobilized in France, especially in the motorway raids to carry out checks (Prohibition to exceed 10km around the department being part of the list of 19 departments in the "strict surveillance" zone and move from one region to another unless there is an urgent reason). These controls are intensified to reduce the spread of the virus linked to the displacements in mass populations, with the sunny days of spring. "As of today, there are more than 90,000 police and gendarmes [...] on motorway tolls, in stations, in airports" in order to ensure, in particular for the 19 departments concerned by the reinforced restrictions, that the French "do not change department and avoid trips of more than 10 kilometers except for compelling and professional reasons", told the press Gerald Darmanin, the minister of the interior, during his trip to Gironde.