France is looking at compulsory vaccination orders for health workers as the highly-contagious delta variant becomes the dominant coronavirus strain in the country.
President Emmanuel Macron is expected to address the nation on Monday on the progress of the epidemic and his government's strategy to dampen the impact of another wave of infections.
Across Europe, countries are dealing with rising cases and looking to impose new lockdown restrictions.
The country's National Medicine Academy (known by its French acronym HAS) has suggested vaccinations should be compulsory for all health workers and professionals who come into contact with people vulnerable to the disease.
Last week, HAS pressed authorities to impose compulsory vaccinations for everyone aged 12 and above.
As part of a string of suggestions, HAS recommended shortening the time period between the first and second vaccine doses and said people over 55 who received a first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine should be given a second dose with an mRNA-based vaccine.
The country appears to be facing a new coronavirus wave, sparked by the delta mutation, which on Saturday accounted for 51.7 per cent of cases.
At the start of the week, the delta variant was responsible for 30 per cent of cases, but there are wildly different rates across the country.
The delta variant was detected in 83.6 per cent of case in Somme region and 83.3 per cent in the Hautes-Alpes, but only in 7.1 per cent of cases in Creuse.
After falling from more than 42,000 cases per day mid-April to less than 2,000 per day in late June, the seven-day average of new infections has been climbing rapidly again since early July. On Friday, the health ministry registered 4,580 new infections. In the past six days, the seven-day average number of new infections has increased by more than 50 per cent every day, a pattern similar to the early phases of previous waves.
The Spanish region of Catalonia was reimposing virus restrictions in the face of rising coronavirus infections. Some lockdown restrictions have been reimposed in the Netherlands after a rising wave of delta variant cases that also forced a recall of parliament from its summer break.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
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Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
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Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
