Daily Post – February 28th 2021

Living through a pandemic

in the south of France

347 days in Carcassonne since

1st lockdown in March 2020

▫️ DAILY AND WEEKLY STATISTICS HERE .

▫️ The departments of Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales have not escaped the regional decline in hospitalisations. However, our two departments still deplore the victims of Covid yesterday.

In the Aude, this Saturday evening, 155 people were hospitalised (-3 compared to the day before) including 10 in intensive care (as on Friday).
The department deplores the death of one person this Saturday bringing the total to 243 victims since the beginning of the epidemic.

In the Pyrénées-Orientales, 132 people were hospitalised this Saturday evening (-4 in 24 hours) including 16 in intensive care (as the day before).
Two people died from Covid during the last 24 hours, bringing the number of Covid-19 victims in the department to 217.

▫️ As every first day of the month, new measures come into force on Monday 1 March. Here is an overview of what will change and what is likely to impact your daily life.

Short-time working
Businesses that are not closed by administrative decision or are not among those most affected by the crisis will see short-time working compensation reduced to 60%. The most affected sectors will see the current rates maintained in March.

PCR test to cross the border into Moselle
A negative PCR test of less than 72 hours will now be mandatory for non-business border crossings into Germany by border workers.

Gas
Gas will see a sharp rise on 1 March. The regulated gas tariffs applied by Engie will increase by an average of +5.7% on 1 March. “This increase is +1.5% for customers who use gas for cooking, +3.4% for those who have a dual use, cooking and hot water, and +5.9% for households that heat with gas,” announced the Energy Regulation Commission (CRE) in a press release issued in recent days.

Tobacco increase
Not all packages will increase but some tobacco brands will see a 10 cent increase (for Austin + or Elixy red). On the other hand, blond Gauloises will fall below 10 € (9.90 €).

Energy label on household appliances
Rated so far from A+++ to D, household appliances will see their rating adapted to the European energy label. The ratings will now go from A to G for refrigerators, freezers, wine cellars, washing machines, dishwashers and TVs or other displays. A QR Code will also provide access to a product database.

Final stretch for the “bike boost”
March is the last month to take advantage of the “Coup de Pouce Vélo” programme launched by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, to encourage the use of bicycles as a means of travel, had been extended until the end of March. This bonus allows you to benefit from a discount of up to 50 euros directly applicable on your bill for all services relating to the repair of your bicycle.

No more sauces or cutlery
In order to reduce the waste associated with the delivery of meals, several platforms have undertaken, as of 1 March, to no longer automatically provide cutlery and sauces to their customers. This will have to be requested directly when ordering.

▫️ ANCILLARY NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND from our correspondent in Britain 🇬🇧

✒️ Men! Better start pulling your weight!

A Beijing divorce court has ordered a man to compensate his ex-wife for all the unpaid work she did during their marriage and we’re thrilled to see women’s hidden labour finally recognised.

The man, identified as Mr Chen, will have to pay his soon-to-be ex-wife, Ms Wang, 50,000 yuan (around £5,460) for shouldering the housework and childcare responsibilities since they married in 2015.

Sounds a bit cheap to me

✒️ Animals! Even an army can’t captivate you!

Royal Welsh: New regimental goat evades Army capture

Stealthy, fleet of foot and elusive – The Royal Welsh’s newest recruit is everything a battalion could want. Unfortunately, the kid in question is Shenkin IV – a wild goat on the Great Orme in Conwy county who the Army hoped to dart and capture to be the 3rd battalion’s newest mascot. After eight fruitless hours, the search was called off on Friday afternoon and will resume near Llandudno next week.

A new goat is needed after Shenkin III died in September, aged seven.

An Army team, accompanied by an RSPCA vet, was deployed to select the successor before the new Shenkin could be taken to Maindy Barracks in Cardiff to begin his training. But after unsuccessfully pursuing the Kashmiri from the royal herd across the hills, they had to call off the search when it began to get dark.

Other animal stuff

▫️ MUSIC

JJ’s TOP 100

Old but excellent

🎶 / 🎶 / 🎶

▫️ PIC OF THE DAY

▫️ FUN

▫️ NEWS FROM ACROSS THE POND 🇺🇸

▫️ WEATHER

A beautiful afternoon with sunshine that is often generous and temperatures that are close to seasonal normals. Weather a little more mixed to the south of the Garonne with more cloudy passages and a low risk of showers.