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Ski resorts in France to remain closed due to ‘steep rise in Covid-19 cases’

France's ski resorts will not be able to reopen on January 7th as initially planned, France's Secretary of State for tourism confirmed on Wednesday.

Published: 7 January 2021 09:08 CET

Ski resorts in France to remain closed due to 'steep rise in Covid-19 cases'

Skiing is allowed in France, but ski lifts remain closed for the moment. Photo: AFP

Prime Minister Jean Castex and Health Minister Olivier Véran will hold a press conference on Thursday at 6pm to review Covid-19 restrictions, and ski resorts were hoping they would get the green light to finally open and being forced to close for the early part of the season.

READ ALSO: What can we expect from the French government's Covid-19 announcement?

But Secretary of State for tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne told AFP that in light of “a rather steep rise in terms of new (Covid-19) cases and intensive care admissions”, the government had decided to push back the date.

France on Wednesday recorded 25,379 new Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, up from 20,489 the preceding day, and far above the weekly average of around 13,000.

Hospital intensive care wards admitted another 234 patients, a number that has been stable the past few days, but the government fears it will rise following a predicted spike in viral transmissions during the Christmas break.

READ ALSO The graphs and numbers that show the latest Covid-19 situation in France

Unlike neighbouring Switzerland, France has kept its ski resorts closed since the end of lockdown in early December.

While the government has allowed travel to the mountains and ski resorts, ski lifts and all other infrastructure had to keep shut, ruling out most winter sports.

Alpine areas are among the ones the hardest affected by Covid-19, which is one of the reasons that the government worries about relaxing rules on skiing activities.

Lemoyne said the ski sector would not get a new reopening date until after a Defence Council meeting next week.

“The government is well aware of that the sector needs clarity and we are committed to providing this for the rest of the season as quickly as possible,” Lemoyne said.

Across France all bars, cafés and restaurants remain shut as well, along with cinemas, theatres and other cultural establishments. The French government has already confirmed that it intends to postpone the reopening of both these sectors in light of the current health situation.

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How to donate blood in France

Who can do it?

In order to donate blood (don du sang) in France, you must be aged between 18 and 71, and you must meet certain health and medical criteria, including being in good health and weighing at least 50kg.

Most of the rules for donating blood are the same in France as they are in countries like the US and UK, but there are some specifics to be aware of.

For example, you cannot donate blood if you lived in the UK for a cumulative total of at least 1 year between 1980 and 1996, which excludes many Brits from giving blood in France.

READ MORE: Is it true Brits are banned from giving blood in France?

Similarly, you cannot donate blood if you:

have undergone a transfusion or transplant
could transmit a disease (bacteria, virus or parasite) through your blood
could transmit a viral infection through sexual contact
had a piercing or tattoo in the last four months
are or were pregnant within the last six months
had sex with different or new partners in the last four months
or have taken intravenous drugs

If you are sick with the flu or a cold, you will likely be denied as well (those who had an infection or fever in the last two weeks). People who visited an area with high rates of malaria, who have survived cancer, or who had recent surgical and dental operations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

To figure out if you are eligible you can take this quiz (in French).

You cannot be excluded from donating blood based on your sexual orientation – in March 2022 France lifted exclusions on gay men giving blood, saying the rule was no longer necessary and was unfair.

However, you can be excluded based on the health concerns listed above.

How does the process work?

In France, there is a three-step procedure.

First, you will complete a questionnaire assessing your ability to give blood. You will have a short interview with a medical professional who will determine if you are eligible. You have 15 days following the interview to follow-up and inform the medical professionals if there was anything you forgot to share.

You can find a blood donation centre on this interactive map. Click on a centre to make an appointment. Keep in mind you will need to bring ID along.

The amount of time it takes to give blood depends on whether you are donating whole blood, plasma, or platelets (more on this below).

After the donation, you will rest briefly and be given a light snack. If there were any abnormalities with your blood, then you will be contacted once it is analysed.

Can you be paid?

No, you cannot be paid. All types of blood donation are considered to be voluntary, unpaid acts in France – your reward is that post-donation snack, plus the priceless knowledge that you may have saved someone’s life.

Blood vs. plasma vs. platelets

A whole blood donation (don de sang total) collects three essential components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. However, you can also donate plasma or platelets individually.

The procedures take different amounts of time, and there are also different intervals between donations you should keep in mind.

Whole blood donations are used for blood transfusions and medical research, and the volume taken will depend on your weight and height. These take about eight to 10 minutes for the blood collection, though you should allow for 45 minutes to an hour for the medical interview beforehand, plus rest and snack time afterwards.

Men can give a whole blood donation a maximum of six times a year, while women can give four times a year. There should be at least eight weeks between donations.

Plasma donations (don de plasma) yield two to four more times the plasma taken during a normal whole blood donation – these are usually used for special transfusions. It will take a maximum of one hour for the donation, but you should allow closer to an hour and 30 minutes.

For plasma, both men and women can give a plasma a maximum of 24 times in one year. The interval between donations should be at least two weeks.

Donating platelets (don de plaquettes) helps to treat certain cancers, including leukaemia. This process takes a bit longer – closer to an hour and 30 minutes for the collection, so allow two hours for the whole process.

For platelets, men and women can both give a maximum of 12 times per year. The interval should be four weeks between donations.

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