Lori

For me, something absolutely must be done.  I don't see how any of the current 'rules' have slowed anything down.  Cases are approaching USA daily numbers and before long, under the current 'rules' daily deaths will likely do the same. I forget which 'expert' yesterday said that France should expect daily death numbers to reach 600 within one month.  Of course, who knows if he will be right or not, but it certainly looks like that is where we are going. Hospitals cannot function under these pressures.  So many non Covid sufferers are going to die because they cannot get treatment because the hospitals are saturated with Covid patients. And ALBF has been saying all along that the schools should be shut.  Now weeks down the road the government has to see that he was right.  Experts have acknowledged that schools are now hot clusters spreading the disease. Only a TRUE confinement will slow the cases down while we wait for vaccine doses to arrive and be given to the masses.  Even that will take at least 2 to 3 weeks to begin to take affect. If Macron continues on the current path, far too many people will die.

City life was a test.  We weren't sure how we would feel about living in Paris or one of its suburbs.  We now know.

That's the plan.  Not likely the same village. We're monitoring the rentals in the region on a day to day basis.

Good one. When we lived down South, they'd just hang up on you if they felt your needs did not meet their own (the Gendarmes that is).

And this.  Begging for some leadership NOW.  This is the department we will likely move to.  The same department where we lived for 14 years.  Same story decrying the lack of leadership. https://www.ledauphine.com/politique/2021/03/27/covid-dans-les-ecoles-du-vaucluse-prenez-une-decision-reclame-le-senateur-jean-baptiste-blanc

Yes, this joke of a confinement is really just a 19h00 curfew with no meaningful enforcement.  It is clearly hard to protect some people from themselves, but short of the first true confinement, I have not seen the French government do anything logical to slow this pandemic down.  What they have done convinced me long ago that they are not interested in shutting down the country (like the first confinement) even though this would clearly slow the Pandemic and save hundreds of lives.  It appears to be financially driven, but I could be wrong as there is no real rhyme or reason as a huge amount of businesses remain unable to open. We had been hovering in the 20,000 range of new daily cases.  Now, we seem to have skipped the 30,000 range and jumped straight into the 40,000 new daily cases range.  Quickly catching up to the USA !

I found this article very interesting. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/26/health/covid-war-doctors-sanjay-gupta/index.html

Looks like France will surpass Russia in the next few days to be the 4th worst case load country in the world. I also read this morning that the EU exported more vaccines than it kept (and the USA and UK received a portion of these exports). I have no idea how true all this is.  If the UK and USA are going to play dirty pool and deny vaccine ingredients to the EU if the EU reduces their vaccine exports in an effort to increase their own vaccinations, well then I guess we have proceeded to weaponize the vaccine.  https://www.bfmtv.com/economie/entreprises/industries/vaccin-anti-covid-depuis-decembre-l-europe-a-exporte-77-millions-de-doses-vers-33-pays_AN-202103250363.html  

Very interesting Betise.  Thanks for that.

Thanks for the reply Slowfox.  I love the Asda Vinegar term.  Gave me a good laugh. I hope you both continue with no side effects and yes, I do find it interesting that folks get the same dose no matter how small or how big they are.  Seems like that could certainly have an effect on how a body might react.

Sadly, this comes as no surprise to me.  We see gatherings where we live too; unmasked, no distancing.  So far, not into the thousands yet. Our town also has a mask requirement in all public areas, interior and exterior.  At this point, most days we see around a 50/50 masked/unmasked adult population.  Never any enforcement of anything.  I suspect we will be seeing more and more of this type of thing.  Many people just do not care and have no intention of following any health protocol / rules. https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/ardeche/coronavirus-2-000-personnes-dans-un-rassemblement-revendicatif-cree-la-polemique-en-ardeche-2013754.html https://www.europe1.fr/societe/video-marseille-6500-personnes-font-fi-des-restrictions-anti-covid-pour-un-carnaval-4033022

That's great slowfox.  Do you mind me asking which vaccine you got?  Was it the AZ one?  Have you had any side effects? I put my husband's name on the pharmacy list here as he qualifies, but they haven't called yet.  I presume they will be giving the AZ vaccines, but don't really know.

[quote user="CeeJay"]Thanks for all the replies, most useful. In readiness have bought a cheapo laser measure, fantastic piece of kit, can't stop using it!!!!![/quote] Yep, those things are really nifty.

[quote user="nomoss"]I suppose it's up to French teachers of English to use topical material in their lessons, but I do wish they stressed the importance of correct pronunciation a little more. My wife had her wallet, with her bank card, TdS, and a few Euros in it, stolen a week or so ago while at the local clinic. We reported it immediately to the bank, but on returning home there was a phone message awaiting to advise us it had been found discarded in the clinic car park, minus only the cash. Unfortunately they didn't have her mobile number. The following morning we went to our bank to check the situation. After announcing our presence via the touch screen system, a young-ish man exited his booth, and I explained, in French, what had happened, that we now had the card back, and was it actually cancelled? He replied, in English, which he obviously felt was better than my French, "No, you can use the card" I said, still in French, "But I was told on the phone that it would be cancelled" He motioned me to look at the screen in his cubicle, tapped a few keys, looked at the screen, and said "You will get a new card in a few days, you can use the old card" "Pourquoi vous envoyez une nouvelle carte si ma femme peut utiliser l'ancienne?" I said, fearing my French must be incomprehensible to him. Visibly agitated, he impatiently replied "I said she CAN use the old card - C, A, N, T, - CAN" I suggested he use "cannot" or "can not" in future, but felt my words were falling on deaf ears. [/quote] Somehow I can see this playing out exactly as you have described.  And your suggestion was excellent, but as you said doubtful he will have 'gotten the drift.'

I had not seen that Mint.  That breaks my heart.  And a medical student at that.  My daughter is this age group.  The family must be devastated. There must be some sort of correlation, as the article suggests.  It seems awfully coincidental that people with no known health problems die of the same problem shortly after getting the vaccine.  I mean how many healthy 24 year olds die of this condition?  I imagine we will learn more as time passes.

Thanks to all for posting.  It is all very good to know, as we wait for our turn.

Glad to hear the update Ken.  Hope you both continue without problems. Brave of you to dig out tree roots when feeling 'muzzy.'  I hope you weren't using any power tools !

Thanks for the update Ken.  Hope your OH feels better tomorrow and you have no lingering side effects. I know I'll feel like breaking open some bubbly whenever I do get a vaccine.  I'll have to resist the temptation as they say you should avoid alcohol prior to and just after getting the vaccine.  No problem, I'll save my celebration a bit.  Now, of course, it is just a dream.

Agree it is all such a shambles.  I did put husband's name on the pharmacie wait list for a vaccine (I don't qualify yet).  They will call when they have restocked vaccines and his name gets close to the top... Congrats Ken on your vaccine.  Good for you !

Funny, reminds me of the ole saying:  "Family and house guests are just like fish. After three days, they all need to be thrown out !"

Chocolates can be delivered, so can gardening supplies, so can books.  Not cigarettes though.  We don't smoke, but did learn that it is illegal to ship cigarettes in France.  So, Tabacs are open.

Well, of course, we are not part of the mass departure from Ile-de-France.  We remain. I suspect you are right Ken.  Things will get worse (maybe a lot worse) before they begin to get better.  They've waited far too long to try to put the brakes on the virus and made huge mistakes along the way, costing lives.  This third confinement is, of course, no such thing.  Hence Mr. Macron refuses to use the word 'confinement.' It is amazing what is being considered essential.  Hair salons are essential ! ?  Gardening stores? The list goes on.  I mean seriously, this is one month.  Folks cannot go one month without a trip to the coiffure/garden shop, library???  Of course they can.  I knew it would be a joke.  Round here, things just roll along as they always have.  Next time I'm out, I will see what, if anything, has shut or remained open (other than those noted and any place that sells a morsel of food, drink or cigs).

We have found that our American credit cards are rarely ever accepted by any French online retailer (La Redoute is an exception).  Can't be verified. However, ALL of the French retailers accept the same American credit cards IN their bricks and mortar stores.  So, just not online.  Amazon.fr accepts all our cards. Can be quite frustrating, but it is what it is.

Have read that the EU is sitting on a stockpile of 14.5 million doses of AZ vaccine.

[quote user="Ken"]I do think, as some have said; that this AZ fiasco is simply political and the lives of europeans are simply pawns in the game that Macron and Merkel are orchestrating.[/quote] I do hope people remember this come voting day.