DAILY STATISTICS HERE

▫️ NEWS – Deconfinement Stage IV as of yesterday as planned

With the exception of the Landes region where the Delta Variant is currently very active, stage IV of the de-confinement plan took effect on June 30th in France.

🔸 Standing up at concerts and festivals can resume
After a 15-month ban, concert halls and festivals are back in session, this time standing up. These events can accommodate up to 75% of their capacity indoors and 100% outdoors. The presentation of a health pass (including a vaccination certificate, a negative test or proof of an infection less than three months old) is still compulsory above 1000 spectators. In the latter case, and only in this case, “wearing a mask will no longer be compulsory but recommended”, stressed Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot. Discotheques will remain closed until 9 July and will be subject to the same limits as concert halls.

🔸 End of capacity limits in establishments
This time, restaurants, cinemas or museums are allowed to receive as many customers as they can. The abandonment of the gauges set by the authorities concerns all establishments receiving the public: sports halls, swimming pools and shops are also targeted. However, the wearing of masks and the respect of physical distance are maintained in these closed places.

🔸 Return of sports competitions
Contact sports resumed yesterday in the indoor arenas. As the Ministry of Sport states, in phase 4, “the practice of all sports activities is authorised without restriction, with contact in the open air and in enclosed and covered spaces”. Outdoors, amateur sports competitions can once again accommodate 2,500 people, while a health pass is still required from 1,000 people onwards.

▫️ TRAVEL NEWS – From France’s point of view. (🔸 =New since previous post)

01/07: Vaccinated people can now travel to Phuket Island in Thailand without quarantine. It is possible to visit the rest of Thailand after spending at least 14 days in Phuket.🔸
01/07: Testing or vaccination is no longer required for travel to Cyprus. However, it is still necessary to complete the CyprusFlightPass beforehand. 🔸

29/06: Lithuania no longer requires quarantine on arrival. 29/06: Latvia no longer imposes quarantine on arrival. 🔸
29/06: From 1 July, Tunisia requires a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old, even for vaccinated travellers. The country will be under curfew from 8pm to 5am. 🔸
29/06 : Sweden no longer requires a test for Europeans who have been vaccinated or who have already had the covid. 🔸
29/06: Denmark no longer imposes a quarantine on travellers from most EU countries including France.

28/06: Mauritius will reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers on 15 July in “resort bubbles” limited to resorts (including pool and beach). 🔸
28/06: UK may soon let in vaccinated travellers without quarantine. 🔸
28/06: Trinidad and Tobago to reopen its borders on 17 July. 🔸
28/06: Uganda’s land borders are now closed to passenger vehicles. 🔸
28/06: The National Academy of Medicine recommends that non-vaccinated people pay for travel tests. 🔸
28/06: Switzerland: travel quarantine requirement lifted for people coming from the Schengen area. 🔸
28/06: Egypt no longer requires PCR tests for vaccinated people. 🔸
28/06: Thailand applies new restrictions.

24/06: People who have been vaccinated or who have already had covid can now enter Norway without quarantine. .
24/06: The US says restarting international tourism is a priority, but has not yet announced a date for reopening borders to Europeans. . 24/06: From 1 July, vaccinated people will no longer need to be tested on arrival in Iceland or quarantined while waiting for the results.
24/06: The Netherlands no longer requires a test for travellers from France.
24/06: Israel postpones the opening of its borders to tourists until 1 August.

23/06: Russia, Namibia and Seychelles have been added to the red list 🔴 of countries for which a compelling reason is required to travel from France, even for vaccinated people.
23/06: By plane or by boat, travellers who wanted to travel between Guadeloupe and Martinique will no longer be isolated on arrival.
23/06: Australia begins to reopen its borders to vaccinated students.

22/06: The islands of Koh Tao, Koh Samui, and Koh Phangan in Thailand could reopen to vaccinated people as early as July 15, shortly after Phuket opens on July 1.
22/06: Travellers, even unvaccinated, can now enter Montenegro without a test.
22/06: People who have been vaccinated or who have already had covid are now exempt from PCR testing to enter Italy.
22/06: Hong Kong to reduce quarantine time to 7 days for vaccinated people.
22/06: As of July 5, fully vaccinated travellers who are allowed to enter Canada will no longer be required to quarantine or test on the 8th day after arrival. In addition, fully vaccinated air travellers will not be required to stay in a government-approved hotel. However, tourists are still not allowed in until at least 21 July.

21/06: Estonia no longer imposes a quarantine on travellers from France.
21/06: The land border between Guinea and Senegal will be reopened very soon.
21/06: Niger has reopened its land borders.
21/06: Tunisia announces a general lockdown in four regions.
21/06: Norway to reopen its borders on 24 June.
21/06: The Czech Republic has reopened its borders.
21/06: Finland has reopened its borders to people who have been vaccinated or who have already had the covid.
21/06: Canada extends the closure of the land border with the United States until at least July 21.

19/06: Following Germany’s classification of Namibia as a country with a variant of concern, as of midnight Saturday 19, French nationals not resident in Germany are no longer allowed to board a flight to Europe via Germany.

18/06: In contrast to the easing of health restrictions in several European countries, Portugal has decided to ban entry to and exit from the Lisbon area over the weekend.
18/06: France is now placed in a green zone by Romania. Travellers arriving from France are exempt from quarantine and no longer need to present a PCR test on arrival in Romania.
18/06: Germany has removed France from its list of travel risk areas. There is therefore no longer a quarantine.

17/06: Indonesia may start to reopen its borders in July, but it is not clear how.
17/06: The UK is considering re-allowing vaccinated Britons to travel. It is not yet known whether vaccinated Europeans will be able to enter the kingdom without quarantine.
17/06: Ireland to reopen its borders without quarantine on 19 July.
17/06: Latvia has reopened its borders.
17/06: Hungary will reopen its borders on 24 June.
17/06: The list of green, orange and red countries for entry to and exit from France has been updated:

▸ Canada, USA move to green list (but these countries do not yet allow travellers from Europe)

▸ Turkey moves to orange list

▸ Afghanistan, Maldives and Paraguay move to red list

17/06: Unvaccinated people without compelling reasons can now travel to French Polynesia if they have been in the US for at least 15 days (previously 1 month) even if they are not American.

16/06: Thailand gives itself 120 days to fully reopen its borders. Source
16/06: Malawi closes land and sea borders. Source : Email from Malawi Tourism Council

15/06: Morocco has reopened its air and sea borders.
15/06: The launch of the health pass in the European Union is scheduled for 1 July, but Member States retain the possibility of reintroducing certain travel restrictions, particularly in the case of variants. States agreed to harmonise the validity periods of PCR tests (no more than 72 hours before arrival at destination) and antigenic tests (no more than 48 hours). They also agreed that travelling children under 12 years of age should be exempt from testing and that minors travelling with their parents or an accompanying adult should not be required to undergo quarantine if the accompanying adult is not subject to it. However, the implementation of these decisions is not binding.

14/06: Vaccinated travellers will no longer need a PCR test to enter Kyrgyzstan from 19 June.
14/06: Vaccinated people no longer need to be tested to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina.

12/06: The first phase of the reopening of the borders of Mauritius will start on 15 July, provided you are vaccinated and test negative. A 14-day quarantine will be imposed. Unrestricted travel to Mauritius will not be possible until 1 October.

11/06: France is now placed by the Romanian authorities in the “yellow zone”, with reduced entry conditions. Travellers arriving from France are exempt from quarantine.
11/06: Vaccinated people no longer need to be tested to enter Honduras.

10/06: As of 21 June, it will be possible to download a certificate of vaccination, certified in accordance with European standards, with English subtitles, from the Health Insurance teleservice. This certificate will be part of the authorised proof for travelling within the European Union as of 1 July.

09/06: The United States on Tuesday took the first measured steps towards a return to international travel, easing its warning to people wishing to travel to several countries, including France, and announcing the creation of working groups with key partners to prepare for this resumption.
09/06: Vaccinated people can now travel outside the EU directly from France without compelling reasons. Non-vaccinated tourists can only leave Europe from a country other than France. See the rules for entering / leaving France
09/06 : Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint-Martin : End of the compelling reason. PCR test less than 72 hours old, even for vaccinated persons. Self-isolation of 7 days for non-vaccinated persons.
09/06 : Reunion and Mayotte : End of the urgent reason only for vaccinated persons. PCR test of less than 72 hours.
09/06: French Polynesia: End of urgent reason only for vaccinated persons. PCR test less than 72 hours old.
09/06: French Guiana, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna: Compelling reason maintained
09/06: Canada may begin to gradually open its border with the United States to vaccinated people from 22 June.

▫️   SATIRE

▫️   GADGET

Nothing says summer quite like a cooler full of beer, but it wouldn’t be 2021 without a modern twist on the concept. Meet the Beer Outdoor Transporter or BOT from Heineken. It can hold up to 12 cans of beer, will follow you almost anywhere and has a “charming” AI personality.

I wonder if it would be allowed on the golf course

▫️ NEWS FROM ACROSS THE POND 🇺🇸

Fox’s Harris Faulkner: The Florida Building Collapse Was “God’s Plan”

Last week, a high rise building in Miami, Florida collapsed. The death toll for the tragedy has yet to be revealed as bodies are still being recovered. President Joe Biden nearly immediately offered help to the state and those affected.

Fox News, though, has quickly decided that the incident is a political matter. On Monday, Tomi Lahren declared the tragedy to be a “shining moment” for Florida’s GOP governor Ron DeSantis. And Tuesday afternoon, Harris Faulkner claimed that the incident was “God’s plan.”

Somehow, the Fox host connected the tragedy to Democratic calls to cut police funding. She told viewers, “You can have all the rules and the codes but you have to have enforcement behind them. And I liken that to where we are with the defund the police conversation. It’s like, yeah, you can have all these laws but law enforcement without police doesn’t really count.”

Faulkner also felt that survivors would be found despite the devastation. She continued, “This is not hope against hope at every turn. This is hope backed up by faith backed up by facts.”

Former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany also took part in the segment. She  agreed that there were survivors yet to be found.

Faulkner closed the segment, “You just don’t know God’s plan.”

▫️  ADDITIONAL READS FOR TODAY

Study shows mixing AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines generates strong immune response against COVID-19