The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday urged people not to spoil the hope created by vaccines, by slackening their efforts in the face of the pandemic, which still rages in many countries.
In France, the Pas-de-Calais begins its first weekend confined today at 8 am.
Elsewhere in the world, California is relaxing its criteria and allowing the reopening of Disneyland and stadiums under certain conditions.
Follow the evolution of the situation live.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday urged people not to spoil the hope created by vaccines, by slackening their efforts in the face of the pandemic, which still rages in many countries.
In France, the Pas-de-Calais begins its first weekend confined today at 8 am.
The country has 88,274 deaths from the coronavirus, an additional 439 deaths in 24 hours, according to figures published on the government site, and some 23,507 new cases have been detected.
Elsewhere in the world, California is relaxing its criteria and allowing the reopening of Disneyland and stadiums under certain conditions.
Follow the evolution of the situation live.
Information to remember:
France counts 88,274 deaths from Covid, the pressure remains high
The containment of Pas-de-Calais on weekends comes into force this Saturday 8 am
Non-food shopping centers of more than 10,000m² are closed in "risk departments"
California relaxed criteria for reopening Disneyland and stadiums
The Pas-de-Calais confined
Containment in Pas-de-Calais (Nord) will begin Saturday morning and will be in effect for four weekends, i.e. until March 28, to curb an outbreak of the epidemic, especially in areas near Dunkirk.
"The incidence is indeed increasing very quickly", namely "23% over the last 7 days and now exceeds the threshold of 400 per 100,000, almost twice the national average", explained the Prime Minister by also pointing to the saturation of intensive care services, "at the highest of all French departments".
"Large non-food retail areas of more than 5,000 m² will be closed" in the department, also added Jean Castex.
In addition, non-food shopping centers of more than 10,000 m², and no longer only those of more than 20,000 m² as until now, will be closed as of Friday evening in "departments at risk" to halt the progression of the Covid- 19, also announced Thursday the head of government.
88,274 dead, pressure remains high
As of Friday evening, France had 88,274 deaths from the coronavirus, or 439 additional deaths in 24 hours, according to figures published on the Public Health France site.
Some 23,507 new cases were detected in 24 hours.
Hospitalizations fall below the 25,000 mark with 24,765 patients (-126 in 24 hours), but resuscitations increase to 3,680 serious cases (+47).
According to the CovidTracker site, the decline in hospital admissions comes mainly from those over 80.
Towards compulsory vaccination for caregivers?
The vaccination of caregivers against Covid-19 is deemed insufficient by the government, as Jean Castex recalled on Thursday, because around 40% of nursing home staff and 30% of caregivers, in town and in hospital, have been vaccinated .
The executive is now wondering about the establishment of compulsory vaccination for these personnel.
On Friday, Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health, sent caregivers an open letter, urging them in particular to take the plunge.
According to several government sources from Europe 1, this letter could well be a final warning before a referral to the National Consultative Ethics Council, with a view to compulsory vaccination.
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Pharmacists and midwives are also now authorized to prescribe and inject vaccines, as well as nurses who can now vaccinate without a doctor being systematically present.
Vaccination is reserved primarily for people over 75 years of age, over 50 years of age suffering from co-morbidities and adults at very high risk.
Next publication of the report on the origins of the Covid
The World Health Organization (WHO) team of experts dispatched to Wuhan, China in January to investigate the origins of the pandemic will release its report the week of March 15.
California relaxes criteria for reopening Disneyland and stadiums
California announced Friday that it was relaxing its health criteria related to the pandemic and that Disneyland and other amusement parks, as well as open-air stadiums, could begin to reopen as of April 1 if certain conditions are met.
Amusement parks will be able to reopen from April 1 if the county in which they are located is no longer classified in "purple zone", the highest level of risk according to Californian criteria.
Orange County, where Disneyland is located, and Los Angeles County, where Universal Studios is located, are both still classified as "purple" but could turn red within a few weeks.
Their capacity in the red zone will however be limited to 15% of the usual level (25% in orange and 35% in yellow) and only the inhabitants of California will be able to immediately have access to these parks, specifies the department of public health.
Open-air stadiums and other open-air structures will be able to reopen their doors for sports competitions or concerts from April 1, regardless of their location.
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Belgium bans non-essential travel until April 18
The ban on non-essential travel outside Belgium's borders, and to this country, has been extended until April 18, which includes the Easter holidays.
Vaccinated great apes
Great apes at the San Diego Zoo became the first non-human primates to be injected with Covid-19, thanks to a vaccine designed specifically for animals, zoo officials said on Twitter.
More than 2.5 million dead
The pandemic has killed at least 2.57 million people around the world, according to a report established by AFP on Friday from official sources.
The United States is the most bereaved country with 522,610 deaths.
They are followed by Brazil (262,770), Mexico (188,866), India (157,548) and the United Kingdom (124,025).
These figures which are based on the daily reports of the health authorities, without including the reassessments based on statistical bases, are generally underestimated.