I'm reading The Locked Tomb series and even though going into it I already knew some of the major plot twists, no amount of spoilers could prepare me for just how jarring it was to learn that the ancient secret necromancy inventing laboratory is in the same town where I used to stop for coffee on the way to my thesis fieldwork. I mean fucking Greytown?!

Like oi John why don't you leave those cows alone and stop by the bakery for a delicious almond croissant? I promise things will be better after delicious almond croissant.

PARIS — As the two women sat in deck chairs enjoying the last rays of sunshine near the Canal de l’Ourcq in Paris on Sunday evening, nearby loudspeakers jolted them with a reminder that they were in a new mask-mandatory zone. “You’ve got your mask?” Safiya Zenag, unmasked, asked her friend, who replied: “No, I didn’t bring it. I hate wearing it.” Faced with a recent resurgence of coronavirus cases, officials have made mask wearing mandatory in widening areas of Paris and other cities across the country, pleading with the French not to let down their guard and jeopardize the hard-won gains made against the virus during a two-month lockdown this spring. The signs of a new wave of infection emerged over the summer as people began resuming much of their pre-coronavirus lives, traveling across France and socializing in cafes, restaurants and parks. Many, especially the young, have visibly relaxed their vigilance and have not followed rules on mask wearing or social distancing. In recent days, France has recorded about 3,000 new infections every day, roughly double the figure at the beginning of the month, and the authorities are investigating an increasing number of clusters. But 30 percent of the new infections are in young adults, ages 15 to 44, according to a recent report. Since they are less likely to develop serious forms of the illness, deaths and the number of patients in intensive care remain at a fraction of what they were at the height of the pandemic. Still, officials are not taking any chances. “The indicators are bad, the signals are worrying and the situation is deteriorating,” Jérôme Salomon, the French health ministry director, told the radio station France Inter last week. “The fate of the epidemic is in our hands.” Mr. Salomon warned that the virus would continue to circulate and that people would have to adjust their behavior. “We have to live with it,’’ he said. France suffered 30,400 deaths from the virus — one of the world’s worst tolls — and experienced an economically devastating lockdown from mid-March to mid-May. Thanks to the lockdown, however, France succeeded in stopping the spread of the virus and lifted most restrictions at the start of summer. Philippe Juvin, the head of the emergency department at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, said he was not surprised by the rise in cases. “You lock down people during two months, putting a stop to infections,” he said. “Once people are again allowed to go outside, it is not surprising that infection quickly resumes.” The course of the pandemic in Europe has followed a somewhat similar trend, with Spain also reporting new local clusters. But important disparities exist among countries. In the past week, as France reported 20,000 new cases, Italy reported 7,000, and Britain, 3,000, according to data collected by The New York Times. Mircea Sofonea, an epidemiologist at the French University of Montpellier, said today’s situation had “nothing to do in terms of imminent health risk” with the situation that preceded the European lockdowns because the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients and deaths remains very low. In France, the daily number of deaths has hovered around 15 in the past week. By contrast, at the height of the epidemic in March and April, hundreds died every day in France, with the toll sometimes rising into four digits. In April, intensive care units were at 140 percent capacity; only 7 percent were occupied about 10 days ago. Mr. Sofonea said all European countries were expecting a rebound of the epidemic in the fall, when people who have been away on vacation come back to work and when social interaction resumes. The French authorities fear that the rising number of infections in young people, many of whom are asymptomatic, may contribute to the spread of the virus to older, more vulnerable people. “Young people felt a little more invincible,” said Olivier George, a 36-year-old baker. “That’s probably what made them the most affected group.” Across the continent, crowds of young people are flocking to illegal parties organized in outdoor areas, regardless of the risk of infection. While the number of new cases in France has been rising steadily, it is difficult to draw comparisons with earlier stages in the epidemic. The number of tests being carried out across France has increased to about 600,000 a week — or about six times the numbers performed during the height of the epidemic. At that time, France suffered from severe shortages of test kits, making it impossible for many suspected of having Covid-19 to get tested. Raphaëlle Escande, 23, a business school student, said she fell ill in March with symptoms of the disease, including the loss of smell, a sore throat and fever. “That lasted three weeks,’’ she said. “I stayed home because you couldn’t get tested.’’ The Coronavirus Outbreak › Frequently Asked Questions Updated August 17, 2020 Why does standing six feet away from others help? The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it’s windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think you’re far enough apart. I have antibodies. Am I now immune? As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time. I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief? The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all. What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work? What is school going to look like in September? It is unlikely that many schools will return to a normal schedule this fall, requiring the grind of online learning, makeshift child care and stunted workdays to continue. California’s two largest public school districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — said on July 13, that instruction will be remote-only in the fall, citing concerns that surging coronavirus infections in their areas pose too dire a risk for students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll some 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country so far to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classrooms when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are devising hybrid plans that involve spending some days in classrooms and other days online. There’s no national policy on this yet, so check with your municipal school system regularly to see what is happening in your community. France’s scientific council, a government body that advises President Emmanuel Macron on the coronavirus crisis, said in a report in late July that “the balance is fragile, and we can change course at any time to a less-controlled scenario.” The council warned that a second wave was “highly possible” in the fall, given the current trend. The sharp rise in cases has led the government to declare Paris and the region of Marseille as high-risk zones, effectively granting the local authorities power to impose new measures aimed at containing the spread of the disease. In Paris, mask wearing had been limited to public transportation and indoor establishments, as it was in the rest of the country. But the requirement was extended to crowded outdoor areas about a week ago, and further expanded across many more swathes of the city over the weekend. Prime Minister Jean Castex warned last week that the country had been going “the wrong way” for the past few weeks, and said he wanted “to extend as far as possible the obligation to wear masks in public spaces.” The government’s reliance on face masks as a main weapon in its fight against the virus amounts to an about-face in its strategy. Early in the epidemic, faced with severe shortages of masks, the government said they were useless against the virus — contradicting its own longstanding public health policies. “I didn’t find them coherent at all,’’ said Laura Castel, 31, a high school teacher. “In the beginning, it was, ‘Don’t wear masks, they’re not necessary.’ But that’s because we just didn’t have masks, in my opinion.’’ Now that France has more than sufficient supplies of masks, Ms. Castel said, the government was “singing a new tune.’’ Perhaps because of the government’s contradictory messages on masks, people were slow to start wearing them in newly mask-mandatory zones in Paris. Along stretches of the Seine over the weekend, only about half of pedestrians had their faces covered. The police will be enforcing the measures — which will be in place for at least a month — with a fine of 135 euros, or $159. In addition to masks and tests, France now has other tools that were unavailable at the start of the epidemic, including contact-tracing teams and a contact-tracing smartphone application — though neither have been fully tested yet. As the French learn how to live with the virus, health officials have adapted by quickly moving to extinguish local outbreaks and tightening restrictions as needed. The goal is to prevent local clusters from spiraling out of control and pushing France again into a national lockdown. Anthony Rasoloarimanana, 40, a travel agent who was walking under the elevated metro tracks of Boulevard de la Chapelle in northern Paris, a new mask-mandatory zone, said he was worried that the recent period of resurgence was similar to the one just before the lockdown in March. “Have the sacrifices we’ve made over several months been for nothing?” he said of the lockdown. “That would be terrible.” Théophile Larcher contributed reporting from Paris. Monika Pronczuk contributed reporting from Brussels. The post Beaten Back, the Coronavirus Regains Strength in France appeared first on Shri Times News. from WordPress https://ift.tt/3g0JpqQ

http://sansaartimes.blogspot.com/2020/08/beaten-back-coronavirus-regains.html

San Francisco, CA

Out of all my travels, San Francisco came closest to how I feel about New York. It runs on a diluted version of NY's energy - not quite powerful enough to light up the city 24/7, but has enough juice to get a good taste. And like NY, it's strategically divided into neighborhoods blossomed to match the quirks of each aspiring crowd. All are gathered to take advantage of a city-driven life, but separated by a sea of health-crazed juice shops, tall tech headquarters, semi-warm beaches and various homeless shelters. If given the chance, I could probably find a quaint little block to call home for a few years.

In my narrow-minded brain, I imagined a sunny California, but SF rarely gets warm, especially in the summer. According to my SF resident friend. I was greeted with chilly winds, blowing me to the other side of the street where the sun occasionally graced its warm rays over me. When I wasn't chasing the sun, I was dodging flying trash, homeless people puking and random whiffs of poop sneaking its way up my nose. But coming from the big apple where chaos and dirt rule, I put on my best city mindset and searched for something that I could appreciate.

That’s the thing about cities. Understanding the unfiltered mess of it all requires you to hunt for something to love. Otherwise, you'll wonder what you missed out on that everyone else found so beautiful. And SF was beautiful. It offered unique foods, approachable nightlife, mixed cultures and incredible views. This may sound insignificant, but it's so rare to find a city that can capture opposing elements in one glance, like distant mountains peeping between skyscrapers. Or palm trees in the financial district. What I once considered a tropical element associated with vacation getaways, were planted casually amongst the most industrial and corporate area.

Since it was my first time in SF (and in California), I had an extremely tourist driven agenda - covering my bases from the Golden Gate Bridge to Fishermans Wharf. Thankfully, my friend Katie had been living there for 2 years and knew the ropes as she led me on this journey. So thank you lady. This trip is dedicated and in thanks to you. Nothing beats a good friend like an organized type a friend ;)

Here's the breakdown of my trip starting with food from highest recommended to still recommended:

Brenda's French Soul Food - ever heard of French Soul Food? Me neither. That's because you never (or rarely) encounter a restaurant trying to fuse one of the most highly regarded type of fine cuisine with soul-comforting southern food. The food definitely skews more towards southern, but the 30 minute wait was well worth it. Shrimp grits yall. Shrimp grits.

Bobs donuts - I might be biased cuz I came here after a drunken night out at 1am, but regardless, it's still a great donut shop. The classic glazed was my favorite - light, airy and homemade.

Bite - I'm a sucker for sandwiches so this made the top of my list. Rotisserie chicken in a sandwich with gouda cheese?! Yes please. You can smell the rotisserie as you approach the store. I challenge you to not walk in.

Humphry Slocombe - the flavors alone were enticing enough for me. A few that caught my eye: Far West Fungi Cap, Olive Oil + Rhubarb, Matchadoodle, etc. I sampled a few but secret breakfast was my favorite.

Mr Holmes Bakehouse - there's a lot of hype around this place but I have to give it to them. The lemon donut was fantastic. I could probably lick a tub of that tangy cream.

In and out - it was my first time, but if you've been, skip. There are too many great restaurants to waste your time here. But if you haven't been, it's worth the trip for the burger. The fries are dead cardboard.

Blue bottle - you just have to. And don't you dare put milk or sugar.

Trish's Donuts - miniature funnel cake type of donuts. Best when freshly out of the fryer and tossed in sugar.

Tacorea - Korean Mexican fusion. Not mind-blowingly delicious, but if you throw tater tots and Korean-style meat together with cheese, then yes, 80% chance I'll like it.

Destinations from highest recommended:

Golden Gate Bridge - iconic and beautiful as everyone says. The color was petitioned for so admire its orange hue whenever you lay eyes on it. Beats dull grey for sure.

Bakers beach - warm sand, cold waters, sand slides, a view of the bridge and a few naked butts. Yes, there are nude men on one end of the beach. The other end is filled with crowds of bass-playing millennials, families with kids and tween couples. Pick your poison.

Ferry building - a big gourmet food market comparable to Chelsea market in NYC. Grab a cone of humphry’s, walk the pier and enjoy the view of the bay Bridge. You're welcome.

Fishermans Wharf - true to its name, this is your go-to destination if you're thinking about chowder, lobster rolls and all things seafood. But be aware, Madame Tussauds is nearby so this is a major tourist attraction. Stop by boudin bakery for animal-shaped breads or just stare through the window like I did. No shame.

Pier 39 - located in Fishermans Wharf, this pier is home to a merry-go-around, Trish's Donuts, seafood restaurants, sea lions and day drinking.

Off the grid in the summer - a "food truck" festival on a patch of green grass where families gather for level 100 picnics. I mean tents, full spreads, ice boxes packed with alcohol, lounge chairs and grills. San Franciscans don't take picnics lightly.

Ghiradelli Square - a small area home to ghiradelli's store/restaurant (free chocolate samples when you walk in) and small boutique stores selling overpriced gems.

City Lights Booksellers - charismatic bookstore with perfect lighting for that insta.

Lombard Street - a pretty windy road. Not sure what the hype is though. Expect tourists.

Washington Square Park - ordinary park that I decided to include because it reminded me of the one in ny. It doesn't compare.

Bars:

Harper & Rye - poppin bar filled with singles ready to mingle. Everyone is getting drunk, but no one is dancing. The drinks are decent but pricey.

Marengo on the Alley - a more professional bar for those after work drinks.

Most of the spots above are within a tight vicinity so if you're feeling determined, you can walk. Being a native New Yorker, I thought this would be a piece of cake, but my calves were not ready for all the hills. I was sore because I’m a weakling, but any fit amateur is capable.

I also spent a day in Napa/Sonoma touring 3 wineries. A blog post on that will soon follow... 

Postcards from San Francisco

This is possibly my 5th or 6th visit to San Francisco, I have stopped counting. I never grow tired of visiting this fast-paced city. Some of my best friends live here and no matter how many times I visit, there is always something to do and the energy and vibe of the city is infectious. Last time, I visited the city with my mom and we spent an afternoon with two alpacas at the Golden Gate Park. This time we discovered a nudist beach with a great view of the golden gate, dispensaries that sell marijuana legally {sort of like an Apple store for weed lol and also weed is legal to sell in SF; people were locked up for decades for selling weed a few years ago and now this}, and delicious Burmese fermented tea salad amongst other things. There is always something new, weird, and happening here. SF feels like a smaller and newer NYC and it’s proximity to the Silicon Valley and its status as a tech hub is super exciting, to say the least, especially since I’m in software too. Going to a coffee shop means you never who’s going to be sitting next to you and I always catch tidbits of people’s conversations and the plans for future and I love it. {eavesdropper alert :P} I always dream of what’d be like to live here. The city is built on seven hills, there are many wonderful and diverse neighborhoods scattered around to explore; the restaurant/coffee/bar scene is popping, there are plenty of tech companies and startups on the verge of the changing the world as we know it today, there is an ocean around the corner {I grew up next to a beach and I miss seeing the ocean on a daily basis. No need to remind me that despite that I can’t swim, the water is cold that’s not really an option :P} and there are green parks and oasis in the middle of the urban jungle to enjoy some peace and calm, should I need it, the undulating city landscape means that a walk could double up as a great workout and rest of the Californian/Mexican/West coast is a hop, skip and drive away. So much to explore and so much to do. Like I said before, some of my favorite people live here and I even have some family around so if my parents visit, they can catch up with them too. The only deal breaker is the weather; it’s perpetually windy and cool in SF. I have four “I heart SF” hoodies of different pastel colors for each time that I visited and underestimated how cold it would be. I think I’d rather take four seasons with a hot summer and a cold winter for a few months than a cool climate around the year. I mean it’s not like someone’s waiting with a “welcome here” platter, a six-figure job, and a million dollar house and begging me to move to the Bay but a girl can muse, right? 😀

We go way back

Sukanya and Chinnappa moved to SF from the Bay area to live the high-roller city life for a year and this was the last weekend in the city. They have been ushering us to visit and we decided to make a dash before they moved to the burbs. 😛 Make no mistake, the city life is not for everyone. It costs a pretty penny to live here, you gotta learn how to hustle and you spend a kidney’s worth ever time you step out of the house, so it’s been an interesting year for them. Regardless of whether I move there or not, here are a few photos of the super fun long weekend with them and Vivek and Lakshmi. Vivek, Chinnapa, Sukanya, Gree and I went to GT together and Lakshmi is Vivek’s dancing-diva wife who grew up in the Bay area. It’s always a blast when we get together. I haven’t laughed like this in a long time, my sides still hurt and I’m already plotting a reunion. *glee*.

Chinatown

The Chinatown in SF is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia as well as the oldest Chinatown in North America. It feels is like stepping into a time machine and entering a different world. The typical buildings of SF give away to the pagodas and temple architecture, the grocery stores are teeming with Chinese vegetables and other specialties, signposts and street names are in English and Mandarin; you can hear various dialects as you walk. I love walking the streets. We bought some Chinese eggplants seeds to give our friends lol.

The busy streets of Chinatown

Teracotta warriors of Chinatown

Dragons everywhere, including the fruits

City Lights Booksellers & Publishers

I make sure to visit a library or a bookstore everytime I’m in a new city. City Lights dates back to the 1950s and is oozing with charm. Brick and mortar bookstores are sadly diminishing and I make it a point to buy a book to support their existence. I hope to come back someday, ensconce myself in a corner and finish a book, cover to cover and discover more about the history of this store.

A magical bookstore, City Lights

Baker’s Beach

We went to Baker’s beach shortly before sunset and I must say the setting of this beach is simply stunning. The beach is flanked by the Golden Gate Bridge flanks the beach on its right and craggy cliffs on its left. The sky was engulfed in swirls of blue and pink as the sun set and a few puppies sauntered up to us for cuddles.

Canine cuddles

Palace of the fine arts

Vivek suggested that we visit this place in the night after Baker’s bridge and I wasn’t too excited tbh. We had been walking all day and I was a little groggy with the time difference. But walking into this palace took my breath away. This monumental structure was built in 1915 during the Panama-Pacific exposition to display some work of arts and while we didn’t get time to see any of the art, the architecture itself was marvelous and regal. The palace was lit up, there were a few people scattered about and there was a street artist performing classical music. So serene and peaceful. *goose bumps*.

Sinfully good chocolate souffle cake at Tartine

I had a near-religious chocolate experience at Tartine. The chocolate-souffle cake is dense, rich and exquisite. It elevates you to a different plane with each bite. My only regret was that I didn’t eat a whole cake.

Working remote from Reveille Cafe

Monday morning, Gree and I woke up early and headed to Reveille Cafe near the Embarcardero to get our caffeine fix and work. The beautiful cafe with its tall ceilings and a tiled counter was dappled in sunlight and adorned with the perfect smattering of plants. We ordered cappuccinos, shakshuka, and an acai bowl. The coffee was excellent and sadly the shakshouka was just alright, tbh I can make a better one. Shakshouka is relatively simple to make and it’s one of my favorite weekend brunch recipes. Nonetheless, it was a productive morning and I highly recommend this place if you want to get good coffee or work remote in SF for a few hours.

Pinsas at Montesacro (a slice of Roma in SF)

I had never heard of pinsas until I went to Montesacro. Turns out Pinsas date back to the Roman empire and are the predecessors of pizza; their crust is thin, crisp and airy and the dough is made from a blend of rice, soy, and wheat flour. It is also claimed to be low-fat, low-calorie and easy to digest. I don’t know if that holds true when you wolf an entire oblong pinsa, a glass (or two) of red wine and follow it up with a cup of espresso, but I like to believe that. 😛

We ordered two Margherita pinsas, and they arrived with perfectly charred sour crusts, juicy tomato sauce topped with clouds of creamy mozzarella, a smattering of basil leaves and spicy Calabrian peppers. Perfection in every bite.

Distressed walls, mismatched metal chairs, vintage photos of Roma, old school weighing scales, the restaurant has a rustic and charming vibe. 10/10 would go back for the food, décor and the vibes.

Walking the SF golden gate bridge

It takes about an hour to walk the SF gate but honestly, it was a bad idea. When we walked, it was extremely windy and the gate was reverberating with the ongoing traffic and by the time we were done, Gree and I had a terrible headache when we reached the finish line. lol. If you plan to walk or bike the gate, go when it’s less windy or not windy at all, if that’s possible. 😛 Nonetheless, the views were phenomenal.

Dreamy flaky Kouign Amann at B Patisserie

A good Kouign Amann can cure any problem. This obscure pastry is the French croissant’s distant cousin from the region of Brittany. Flakier and denser in form, it is caramelized with a little sugar to add the perfect crunch. Oh so good. I have never had one before, but to me it seems like th pastry chefs at B Patisserie nailed it lol. Please go if you are in SF!

These are few of my favorite SF things. Have you been to SF? Would you want to live there?

    Postcards from San Francisco  Postcards from San Francisco This is possibly my 5th or 6th visit to San Francisco, I have stopped counting.

Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/best-patisseries-pastry-shops-in-paris/france/

Best Patisseries (Pastry Shops) in Paris

01 of 05

Seeking Delicious Croissants or Eclairs? Head to These Purveyors

Photographer Glen/Creative Commons

If there’s one thing the French do exceptionally well, it’s pastries (patisseries), and Paris harbors some of the most talented pastry chefs in the country. Whether it’s a chocolate éclair, lemon tart, macaron, or simple buttery croissant you crave, these delicious and often beautiful concoctions will satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth. Take note: If it's bread you're after, consult our guide to the best Paris bakeries. It's a bit of a truism that the best patissiers (pastry makers) are not necessarily the most exceptional bread bakers, and vice versa, but, well, it tends to also be true (with a few notable exceptions)! 

Also make sure to consult our mouth-watering guide on identifying and ordering typical French bakery and patisserie items– and avoid being overwhelmed by the delicious panoply of items in the display cases.

SEE NEXT: Top Spots for Croissants, Pain au Chocolat & Other Viennoiseries 

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02 of 05

Top Spots for Croissants, Pain au Chocolat & Other Viennoiseries

KJ Garbutt/Creative Commons.

The croissant is the quintessential French pastry, and finding the best one is no easy feat. Luckily, the Concours du Meilleur Croissant au Beurre AOC Charantes-Poitou makes it easy, with an annual competition electing the best butter croissant of the year.

The 2015 winner for the Paris region was Benjamin Turquier, a baker who makes mouth-watering pastries and viennoiseries at his two locations in Paris' centrally located 3rd arrondissement. He was given top ranking for his all-butter croissant last year, but many of his other creations, from pain au chocolat to pain au raisin, are also reputed to be outstanding. 

Benjamin Turquier 134 rue de Turenne & 59 rue de Saintonge, (both 3rd arrondissement) Metro: République, (lines 3, 5, 8, 9 et 11)  or Filles du Calvaire (line 8)

More top-notch croissants and pastries

If you’re looking for excellent croissant, pain au chocolat, or apricot tart closer to the area where you'll be staying in the French capital, you’re in luck – many of the croissants and other pastries given top accolades in national competitions are made at Parisian patisseries. Here are a few that we especially recommend: 

Le Grenier à Pain des Abbessess 38 Rue des Abbesses, 18th arrondissement Metro: Abbesses, Blanche or Pigalle Hours: Every day except Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 7:30am-8pm Tel: +33 (0)1 46 06 41 81 Visit the official website for more store locations

This bakery’s stunning, intricately decorated cakes are a must, and while you’re there, make sure you also pick up a baguette – head baker Djibril Bodian won the award for best baguette in 2010, breaking that aforementioned rule. 

Read related: Best Bakeries (Boulangeries) in Paris 

Laurent Duchêne 2 rue Wurtz, 13th arrondissement; 238 rue de la Convention, 15th arrondissement  Metro:  (first location: Corvisart or Glaciere; second location: Convention 

This prized baker won the best croissant prize for the Paris region in 2013, and is also coveted for his world-class chocolate eclairs, pain au chocolats, and cakes of diverse varieties. An all-around favorite, his two bakeries are well worth the trip down to the somewhat remote 13th and 15th arrondissements. 

134 Rdt 134 rue de Turenne, 3rd arrondissement Metro: République Hours: Monday to Friday 7:30am-8:30pm, Saturday 7am-2pm Tel: +33 (0)1 42 78 04 72

Falling into the top 10 in many yearly rankings of the city's best patisseries, the oddly-named 134 RdT is anything but obscure. Besides coming in second for its croissants, it won second place for its baguette in 2009. It's located on Rue de Turenne not far from Benjamin Turquier's shop– making a comparative taste-test a real (and recommended) possibility for an entertaining gourmet morning or afternoon. 

Boulangerie Thomann 8 Boulevard de la Liberté, Les Lilas Metro: Mairie des Lilas (Line 11) Tel: +33 (0)1 48 97 84 06

Winner of the 2009 slot for top croissant in Paris, this humble bakery just north of Paris' city limits in the town of Lilas remains one of the very best for a buttery, crescent-shaped delight. Considering that its other pastries, viennoiseries and cakes are also delicious, it's well worth the slightly long metro ride. 

Boulangerie L’Essentiel Mouffetard 2 rue Mouffetard, 5th arrondissement Metro: Place Monge or Cardinal Lemoine Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 8am-9:30pm Tel: +33 (0)1 56 81 86 64

The award-winning Boulangerie L’Essentiel Mouffetard is always worth a visit during a tour of the Latin Quarter. After you’ve picked up your flaky croissants, admire (and fill up on) the chocolate éclairs, layered cakes and other goodies spectacularly presented in glass cases.

SEE NEXT: Best Macarons & Cakes 

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03 of 05

For Mouth-Watering Macarons & Traditional French Cakes

Courtesy of Jean-Paul Hevin.

If you're craving a macaron— a French-style pastry that's gained enormous popularity in recent years, check out our guide to the best macarons in Paris, including Ladureé and Pierre Hermé. These highly prized Parisian patissiers also make an exceptional range of cakes, tarts and other traditional sweet delicacies, all made with top-notch ingredients.

On the cakes front, Jean-Paul Hevin (one of the city's finest chocolate makers) also peddles some of the capital's most delicious cakes, and the upstairs tearoom is a perfect spot for a sweet-toothed break. He also concocts some amazing macarons (pictured above), with the chocolate varieties especially standing out.

SEE NEXT: Cakes & Pastries From Around the World 

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04 of 05

For Cakes & Pastries From Around the World

Courtesy of La Bague de Kenza

In addition to housing countless award-winning patisseries offeringup traditionally French-style baked goods, the capital is also home to some excellent bakers with expertise in cakes and pastry from other cultural traditions. These are our favorites. 

La Bague de Kenza If you’ve grown tired of traditional French pastries (while unlikely, this can happen), stop by this patisserie specializing in Algerian confectionary delights. Dozens of beautiful platters line the shop's tables, piled high with pastries made primarily with nuts, dates, figs, honey, or pistachio. Flavored with rose water, orange blossom, vanilla and other delicious essences, these palm-sized cakes are good enough to order by the handful. Simply point at the ones that look appealing if you don’t know the names – you’ll surely be happy with any choice you make.

Address: 106, Rue Saint-Maur, 11th arrondissement Metro: Rue Saint-Maur or Parmentier Hours: Monday to Sunday : 9:00-10:00, Friday : 13h30 – 21h (2:30-9pm in the summer) Tel: +33 (0)1 43 14 93 15 See the official website for more store locations.

Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI: Japanese Specialties With training in Japan as well as France, Sadaharu Aoki creates pastries that combine traditional French design and a Japanese eye for detail and simplicity. Aoki says that when he sees customers enjoying his pastries, he thinks, “Good, but I can do even better!” This search for greatness comes through in Aoki’s exquisite creations, where macha green tea, wasabi and black sesame turn ordinary cakes and puff pastries into a wondrous treat for your taste buds. You’ll also find classic French pastries here, like the much-recommended salted caramel tart.

Address: 35 rue de Vaugirard, 6th arrondissement Metro: Rennes, Saint-Placide or Notre-Dame-des-Champs Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9am-7pm, Sunday 10am-6pm Tel: + 33 (0)1 45 44 48 90 See the official website for more store locations.

SEE NEXT: Gourmet Shops & Markets to Peruse for Fantastic Patisseries 

Continue to 5 of 5 below.

05 of 05

Gourmet Shops & Markets to Peruse for Fantastic Patisseries

Courtesy of L'eclair de Genie

In addition to the traditional independent patisseries that (thankfully) still take up most of the market for excellent pastry in Paris, you can also find some excellent examples in gourmet food shops around the city. 

Some of the best pastries and cakes–including varieties from around the world– can be found in dedicated stands and corners at gourmet food shops and markets such as Lafayette Gourmet and the Grande Epicerie at the Bon Marche Department Store. A warning, though: you should never come for a shopping spree at one of these gourmet markets on an empty stomach!

L'Eclair de Genie (pictured above) opened a corner shop in 2012 at Lafayette Gourmet and has made a reputation for itself as one of the city's foremost purveyors of gourmet eclairs, with innovative recipes and versions you won't find anywhere else. They also specialize in other chocolate-based treats. 

The brainchild of pastry chef Christophe Adam, the eclair shop also has standalone locations around Paris, so if you're a fan of the delicate, elongated puff pastry filled with pastry cream or ganache and topped with delicate icing, make sure to beeline for one of Adam's shops. 

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Måurice: French for Lunch (with a touch of Nordic Charm)

When I travel, even to towns and cities I have visited before, I am always curious to find a delicious meal at a new destination. And with Portland the nearest metropolis area to where I call home, the culinary curious city is a gem to explore.

And so I found my way to Måurice just off of SW Burnside within one block of the famed Powell’s bookshop. As a Francophile and a bibliophile, the pairing was ideal: peruse the shelves for new and used books, upon becoming exhausted, refuel at nearby Måurice, return to Powell’s if desired. A dream!

The talent behind this understated must-visit pastry destination is Kristen D. Murray. A pastry chef with Lucier, Fenouil, Paley’s Place on her resumé, she began making a name for herself in 1996 while working in San Francisco at Alain Rondelli, ultimately being part of the team that would earn four stars (the highest possible in the Bay Area). Then it was to Boston where again, she earned acclaim. But as she revealed in an interview in 2009, her dream, her focus of attention, was to open her own “little sweet shop”.  And with her dream now a reality, let her attainment of precisely this dream and in so doing creating a signature destination unlike any I have yet to visit, be inspiration to us all.

Måurice opened in 2014. Described as a pastry luncheonette, the menu changes daily (see the hand-written menu on the day I stopped by below), and the pastries exhibited reveal Murray’s talent in her area of expertise. Not only is the fare thoughtfully crafted, but the details in the dishware, flatware and white décor are unique vintage finds that grabbed my applause, followed by a roar of appreciation upon tasting the flavors in the food prepared in the open kitchen.

Open from 10-4 Tuesday through Saturday (and nope, they do not take reservations), stop by and enjoy a casual, cozy, yet sophisticated palette pleasing meal. I enjoyed the apple, brie and parsnip quiche, and hands-down, it was a quiche to surpass all quiches from my recollection for the best of reasons: much like buttery silk, the flavors, crust and simplicity satiated my appetite and left me reconsidering the heights such a classic French dish could reach.

Of course, I couldn’t leave without having dessert. The most difficult part was choosing which to enjoy. Offering seasonal creations, I decided upon the dried pear and pistachio tart (seen below). Again, spectacular.

Just as important was the warmth of the service from all four of the employees present while I dined. From the host/waiter to the bakers, each paid careful attention to the food they prepared as well as the customers who walked through the door. Dining alone is something I sincerely enjoy, and I was able to savor a leisurely meal in a lovely, inviting atmosphere.

From the sturdy cast iron tea pot full of Darjeeling tea to the petite dessert fork and antique plates, I was transported to many a European cafe of which it reminded me of (of course with its own Portland signature) and look forward to returning again. The next time you are in Portland and have an inkling for good food and the comforts of a nearby bookstore, I have the perfect match for your: Måurice + Powell’s.

~one of the bakers working on korova cookie for an upcoming catering event. I ended up purchasing one to go and was glad I did. Måurice’s recipe is certainly unique as I inquired as to what was in the recipe: double chocolate (standard), a dash of cinnamon (not standard), and sprinkled with fleur de sol to finish (here is a similar recipe). Simple and satiating.~

  ~my dessert of choice, dried pear and pistachio tart with Darjeeling tea~

  ~a few of the desserts and lunch options to choose from. Ahhh, the cheeses and oysters and cheesecakes, oh my goodness~

  Location:

MÅURICE

921 S.W. Oak St. Portland, Oregon 503-224-9921

Visit their website

  ~View more Portland destinations I highly recommend in TSLL’s City Guide here

~View more French-Inspired posts from TSLL’s Archives here

Måurice: French for Lunch (with a touch of Nordic Charm) published first on http://ift.tt/2pewpEF

Beaten Back, the Coronavirus Regains Strength in France

PARIS — As the two women sat in deck chairs enjoying the last rays of sunshine near the Canal de l’Ourcq in Paris on Sunday evening, nearby loudspeakers jolted them with a reminder that they were in a new mask-mandatory zone.

“You’ve got your mask?” Safiya Zenag, unmasked, asked her friend, who replied: “No, I didn’t bring it. I hate wearing it.”

Faced with a recent resurgence of coronavirus cases, officials have made mask wearing mandatory in widening areas of Paris and other cities across the country, pleading with the French not to let down their guard and jeopardize the hard-won gains made against the virus during a two-month lockdown this spring.

The signs of a new wave of infection emerged over the summer as people began resuming much of their pre-coronavirus lives, traveling across France and socializing in cafes, restaurants and parks. Many, especially the young, have visibly relaxed their vigilance and have not followed rules on mask wearing or social distancing.

In recent days, France has recorded about 3,000 new infections every day, roughly double the figure at the beginning of the month, and the authorities are investigating an increasing number of clusters.

But 30 percent of the new infections are in young adults, ages 15 to 44, according to a recent report. Since they are less likely to develop serious forms of the illness, deaths and the number of patients in intensive care remain at a fraction of what they were at the height of the pandemic. Still, officials are not taking any chances.

“The indicators are bad, the signals are worrying and the situation is deteriorating,” Jérôme Salomon, the French health ministry director, told the radio station France Inter last week. “The fate of the epidemic is in our hands.”

Mr. Salomon warned that the virus would continue to circulate and that people would have to adjust their behavior. “We have to live with it,’’ he said.

France suffered 30,400 deaths from the virus — one of the world’s worst tolls — and experienced an economically devastating lockdown from mid-March to mid-May. Thanks to the lockdown, however, France succeeded in stopping the spread of the virus and lifted most restrictions at the start of summer.

Philippe Juvin, the head of the emergency department at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, said he was not surprised by the rise in cases.

“You lock down people during two months, putting a stop to infections,” he said. “Once people are again allowed to go outside, it is not surprising that infection quickly resumes.”

The course of the pandemic in Europe has followed a somewhat similar trend, with Spain also reporting new local clusters. But important disparities exist among countries. In the past week, as France reported 20,000 new cases, Italy reported 7,000, and Britain, 3,000, according to data collected by The New York Times.

Mircea Sofonea, an epidemiologist at the French University of Montpellier, said today’s situation had “nothing to do in terms of imminent health risk” with the situation that preceded the European lockdowns because the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients and deaths remains very low.

In France, the daily number of deaths has hovered around 15 in the past week. By contrast, at the height of the epidemic in March and April, hundreds died every day in France, with the toll sometimes rising into four digits.

In April, intensive care units were at 140 percent capacity; only 7 percent were occupied about 10 days ago.

Mr. Sofonea said all European countries were expecting a rebound of the epidemic in the fall, when people who have been away on vacation come back to work and when social interaction resumes.

The French authorities fear that the rising number of infections in young people, many of whom are asymptomatic, may contribute to the spread of the virus to older, more vulnerable people.

“Young people felt a little more invincible,” said Olivier George, a 36-year-old baker. “That’s probably what made them the most affected group.”

Across the continent, crowds of young people are flocking to illegal parties organized in outdoor areas, regardless of the risk of infection.

While the number of new cases in France has been rising steadily, it is difficult to draw comparisons with earlier stages in the epidemic.

The number of tests being carried out across France has increased to about 600,000 a week — or about six times the numbers performed during the height of the epidemic. At that time, France suffered from severe shortages of test kits, making it impossible for many suspected of having Covid-19 to get tested.

Raphaëlle Escande, 23, a business school student, said she fell ill in March with symptoms of the disease, including the loss of smell, a sore throat and fever. “That lasted three weeks,’’ she said. “I stayed home because you couldn’t get tested.’’

The Coronavirus Outbreak ›

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated August 17, 2020

Why does standing six feet away from others help?

The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it’s windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think you’re far enough apart.

I have antibodies. Am I now immune?

As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.

I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief?

The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all.

What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?

What is school going to look like in September?

It is unlikely that many schools will return to a normal schedule this fall, requiring the grind of online learning, makeshift child care and stunted workdays to continue. California’s two largest public school districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — said on July 13, that instruction will be remote-only in the fall, citing concerns that surging coronavirus infections in their areas pose too dire a risk for students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll some 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country so far to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classrooms when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are devising hybrid plans that involve spending some days in classrooms and other days online. There’s no national policy on this yet, so check with your municipal school system regularly to see what is happening in your community.

France’s scientific council, a government body that advises President Emmanuel Macron on the coronavirus crisis, said in a report in late July that “the balance is fragile, and we can change course at any time to a less-controlled scenario.”

The council warned that a second wave was “highly possible” in the fall, given the current trend.

The sharp rise in cases has led the government to declare Paris and the region of Marseille as high-risk zones, effectively granting the local authorities power to impose new measures aimed at containing the spread of the disease.

In Paris, mask wearing had been limited to public transportation and indoor establishments, as it was in the rest of the country. But the requirement was extended to crowded outdoor areas about a week ago, and further expanded across many more swathes of the city over the weekend.

Prime Minister Jean Castex warned last week that the country had been going “the wrong way” for the past few weeks, and said he wanted “to extend as far as possible the obligation to wear masks in public spaces.”

The government’s reliance on face masks as a main weapon in its fight against the virus amounts to an about-face in its strategy. Early in the epidemic, faced with severe shortages of masks, the government said they were useless against the virus — contradicting its own longstanding public health policies.

“I didn’t find them coherent at all,’’ said Laura Castel, 31, a high school teacher. “In the beginning, it was, ‘Don’t wear masks, they’re not necessary.’ But that’s because we just didn’t have masks, in my opinion.’’

Now that France has more than sufficient supplies of masks, Ms. Castel said, the government was “singing a new tune.’’

Perhaps because of the government’s contradictory messages on masks, people were slow to start wearing them in newly mask-mandatory zones in Paris. Along stretches of the Seine over the weekend, only about half of pedestrians had their faces covered.

The police will be enforcing the measures — which will be in place for at least a month — with a fine of 135 euros, or $159.

In addition to masks and tests, France now has other tools that were unavailable at the start of the epidemic, including contact-tracing teams and a contact-tracing smartphone application — though neither have been fully tested yet.

As the French learn how to live with the virus, health officials have adapted by quickly moving to extinguish local outbreaks and tightening restrictions as needed. The goal is to prevent local clusters from spiraling out of control and pushing France again into a national lockdown.

Anthony Rasoloarimanana, 40, a travel agent who was walking under the elevated metro tracks of Boulevard de la Chapelle in northern Paris, a new mask-mandatory zone, said he was worried that the recent period of resurgence was similar to the one just before the lockdown in March.

“Have the sacrifices we’ve made over several months been for nothing?” he said of the lockdown. “That would be terrible.”

Théophile Larcher contributed reporting from Paris. Monika Pronczuk contributed reporting from Brussels.

The post Beaten Back, the Coronavirus Regains Strength in France appeared first on Shri Times News.

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Beaten Back, the Coronavirus Regains Strength in France

PARIS — As the two women sat in deck chairs enjoying the last rays of sunshine near the Canal de l’Ourcq in Paris on Sunday evening, nearby loudspeakers jolted them with a reminder that they were in a new mask-mandatory zone.

“You’ve got your mask?” Safiya Zenag, unmasked, asked her friend, who replied: “No, I didn’t bring it. I hate wearing it.”

Faced with a recent resurgence of coronavirus cases, officials have made mask wearing mandatory in widening areas of Paris and other cities across the country, pleading with the French not to let down their guard and jeopardize the hard-won gains made against the virus during a two-month lockdown this spring.

The signs of a new wave of infection emerged over the summer as people began resuming much of their pre-coronavirus lives, traveling across France and socializing in cafes, restaurants and parks. Many, especially the young, have visibly relaxed their vigilance and have not followed rules on mask wearing or social distancing.

In recent days, France has recorded about 3,000 new infections every day, roughly double the figure at the beginning of the month, and the authorities are investigating an increasing number of clusters.

But 30 percent of the new infections are in young adults, ages 15 to 44, according to a recent report. Since they are less likely to develop serious forms of the illness, deaths and the number of patients in intensive care remain at a fraction of what they were at the height of the pandemic. Still, officials are not taking any chances.

“The indicators are bad, the signals are worrying and the situation is deteriorating,” Jérôme Salomon, the French health ministry director, told the radio station France Inter last week. “The fate of the epidemic is in our hands.”

Mr. Salomon warned that the virus would continue to circulate and that people would have to adjust their behavior. “We have to live with it,’’ he said.

France suffered 30,400 deaths from the virus — one of the world’s worst tolls — and experienced an economically devastating lockdown from mid-March to mid-May. Thanks to the lockdown, however, France succeeded in stopping the spread of the virus and lifted most restrictions at the start of summer.

Philippe Juvin, the head of the emergency department at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, said he was not surprised by the rise in cases.

“You lock down people during two months, putting a stop to infections,” he said. “Once people are again allowed to go outside, it is not surprising that infection quickly resumes.”

The course of the pandemic in Europe has followed a somewhat similar trend, with Spain also reporting new local clusters. But important disparities exist among countries. In the past week, as France reported 20,000 new cases, Italy reported 7,000, and Britain, 3,000, according to data collected by The New York Times.

Mircea Sofonea, an epidemiologist at the French University of Montpellier, said today’s situation had “nothing to do in terms of imminent health risk” with the situation that preceded the European lockdowns because the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients and deaths remains very low.

In France, the daily number of deaths has hovered around 15 in the past week. By contrast, at the height of the epidemic in March and April, hundreds died every day in France, with the toll sometimes rising into four digits.

In April, intensive care units were at 140 percent capacity; only 7 percent were occupied about 10 days ago.

Mr. Sofonea said all European countries were expecting a rebound of the epidemic in the fall, when people who have been away on vacation come back to work and when social interaction resumes.

The French authorities fear that the rising number of infections in young people, many of whom are asymptomatic, may contribute to the spread of the virus to older, more vulnerable people.

“Young people felt a little more invincible,” said Olivier George, a 36-year-old baker. “That’s probably what made them the most affected group.”

Across the continent, crowds of young people are flocking to illegal parties organized in outdoor areas, regardless of the risk of infection.

While the number of new cases in France has been rising steadily, it is difficult to draw comparisons with earlier stages in the epidemic.

The number of tests being carried out across France has increased to about 600,000 a week — or about six times the numbers performed during the height of the epidemic. At that time, France suffered from severe shortages of test kits, making it impossible for many suspected of having Covid-19 to get tested.

Raphaëlle Escande, 23, a business school student, said she fell ill in March with symptoms of the disease, including the loss of smell, a sore throat and fever. “That lasted three weeks,’’ she said. “I stayed home because you couldn’t get tested.’’

The Coronavirus Outbreak ›

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated August 17, 2020

Why does standing six feet away from others help?

The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it’s windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think you’re far enough apart.

I have antibodies. Am I now immune?

As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.

I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief?

The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all.

What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?

What is school going to look like in September?

It is unlikely that many schools will return to a normal schedule this fall, requiring the grind of online learning, makeshift child care and stunted workdays to continue. California’s two largest public school districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — said on July 13, that instruction will be remote-only in the fall, citing concerns that surging coronavirus infections in their areas pose too dire a risk for students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll some 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country so far to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classrooms when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are devising hybrid plans that involve spending some days in classrooms and other days online. There’s no national policy on this yet, so check with your municipal school system regularly to see what is happening in your community.

France’s scientific council, a government body that advises President Emmanuel Macron on the coronavirus crisis, said in a report in late July that “the balance is fragile, and we can change course at any time to a less-controlled scenario.”

The council warned that a second wave was “highly possible” in the fall, given the current trend.

The sharp rise in cases has led the government to declare Paris and the region of Marseille as high-risk zones, effectively granting the local authorities power to impose new measures aimed at containing the spread of the disease.

In Paris, mask wearing had been limited to public transportation and indoor establishments, as it was in the rest of the country. But the requirement was extended to crowded outdoor areas about a week ago, and further expanded across many more swathes of the city over the weekend.

Prime Minister Jean Castex warned last week that the country had been going “the wrong way” for the past few weeks, and said he wanted “to extend as far as possible the obligation to wear masks in public spaces.”

The government’s reliance on face masks as a main weapon in its fight against the virus amounts to an about-face in its strategy. Early in the epidemic, faced with severe shortages of masks, the government said they were useless against the virus — contradicting its own longstanding public health policies.

“I didn’t find them coherent at all,’’ said Laura Castel, 31, a high school teacher. “In the beginning, it was, ‘Don’t wear masks, they’re not necessary.’ But that’s because we just didn’t have masks, in my opinion.’’

Now that France has more than sufficient supplies of masks, Ms. Castel said, the government was “singing a new tune.’’

Perhaps because of the government’s contradictory messages on masks, people were slow to start wearing them in newly mask-mandatory zones in Paris. Along stretches of the Seine over the weekend, only about half of pedestrians had their faces covered.

The police will be enforcing the measures — which will be in place for at least a month — with a fine of 135 euros, or $159.

In addition to masks and tests, France now has other tools that were unavailable at the start of the epidemic, including contact-tracing teams and a contact-tracing smartphone application — though neither have been fully tested yet.

As the French learn how to live with the virus, health officials have adapted by quickly moving to extinguish local outbreaks and tightening restrictions as needed. The goal is to prevent local clusters from spiraling out of control and pushing France again into a national lockdown.

Anthony Rasoloarimanana, 40, a travel agent who was walking under the elevated metro tracks of Boulevard de la Chapelle in northern Paris, a new mask-mandatory zone, said he was worried that the recent period of resurgence was similar to the one just before the lockdown in March.

“Have the sacrifices we’ve made over several months been for nothing?” he said of the lockdown. “That would be terrible.”

Théophile Larcher contributed reporting from Paris. Monika Pronczuk contributed reporting from Brussels.

The post Beaten Back, the Coronavirus Regains Strength in France appeared first on Shri Times News.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3g0JpqQ via Blogger https://ift.tt/325nYQF

PARIS — As the two women sat in deck chairs enjoying the last rays of sunshine near the Canal de l’Ourcq in Paris on Sunday evening, nearby loudspeakers jolted them with a reminder that they were in a new mask-mandatory zone. “You’ve got your mask?” Safiya Zenag, unmasked, asked her friend, who replied: “No, I didn’t bring it. I hate wearing it.” Faced with a recent resurgence of coronavirus cases, officials have made mask wearing mandatory in widening areas of Paris and other cities across the country, pleading with the French not to let down their guard and jeopardize the hard-won gains made against the virus during a two-month lockdown this spring. The signs of a new wave of infection emerged over the summer as people began resuming much of their pre-coronavirus lives, traveling across France and socializing in cafes, restaurants and parks. Many, especially the young, have visibly relaxed their vigilance and have not followed rules on mask wearing or social distancing. In recent days, France has recorded about 3,000 new infections every day, roughly double the figure at the beginning of the month, and the authorities are investigating an increasing number of clusters. But 30 percent of the new infections are in young adults, ages 15 to 44, according to a recent report. Since they are less likely to develop serious forms of the illness, deaths and the number of patients in intensive care remain at a fraction of what they were at the height of the pandemic. Still, officials are not taking any chances. “The indicators are bad, the signals are worrying and the situation is deteriorating,” Jérôme Salomon, the French health ministry director, told the radio station France Inter last week. “The fate of the epidemic is in our hands.” Mr. Salomon warned that the virus would continue to circulate and that people would have to adjust their behavior. “We have to live with it,’’ he said. France suffered 30,400 deaths from the virus — one of the world’s worst tolls — and experienced an economically devastating lockdown from mid-March to mid-May. Thanks to the lockdown, however, France succeeded in stopping the spread of the virus and lifted most restrictions at the start of summer. Philippe Juvin, the head of the emergency department at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, said he was not surprised by the rise in cases. “You lock down people during two months, putting a stop to infections,” he said. “Once people are again allowed to go outside, it is not surprising that infection quickly resumes.” The course of the pandemic in Europe has followed a somewhat similar trend, with Spain also reporting new local clusters. But important disparities exist among countries. In the past week, as France reported 20,000 new cases, Italy reported 7,000, and Britain, 3,000, according to data collected by The New York Times. Mircea Sofonea, an epidemiologist at the French University of Montpellier, said today’s situation had “nothing to do in terms of imminent health risk” with the situation that preceded the European lockdowns because the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients and deaths remains very low. In France, the daily number of deaths has hovered around 15 in the past week. By contrast, at the height of the epidemic in March and April, hundreds died every day in France, with the toll sometimes rising into four digits. In April, intensive care units were at 140 percent capacity; only 7 percent were occupied about 10 days ago. Mr. Sofonea said all European countries were expecting a rebound of the epidemic in the fall, when people who have been away on vacation come back to work and when social interaction resumes. The French authorities fear that the rising number of infections in young people, many of whom are asymptomatic, may contribute to the spread of the virus to older, more vulnerable people. “Young people felt a little more invincible,” said Olivier George, a 36-year-old baker. “That’s probably what made them the most affected group.” Across the continent, crowds of young people are flocking to illegal parties organized in outdoor areas, regardless of the risk of infection. While the number of new cases in France has been rising steadily, it is difficult to draw comparisons with earlier stages in the epidemic. The number of tests being carried out across France has increased to about 600,000 a week — or about six times the numbers performed during the height of the epidemic. At that time, France suffered from severe shortages of test kits, making it impossible for many suspected of having Covid-19 to get tested. Raphaëlle Escande, 23, a business school student, said she fell ill in March with symptoms of the disease, including the loss of smell, a sore throat and fever. “That lasted three weeks,’’ she said. “I stayed home because you couldn’t get tested.’’ The Coronavirus Outbreak › Frequently Asked Questions Updated August 17, 2020 Why does standing six feet away from others help? The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it’s windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think you’re far enough apart. I have antibodies. Am I now immune? As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time. I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief? The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all. What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work? What is school going to look like in September? It is unlikely that many schools will return to a normal schedule this fall, requiring the grind of online learning, makeshift child care and stunted workdays to continue. California’s two largest public school districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — said on July 13, that instruction will be remote-only in the fall, citing concerns that surging coronavirus infections in their areas pose too dire a risk for students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll some 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country so far to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classrooms when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are devising hybrid plans that involve spending some days in classrooms and other days online. There’s no national policy on this yet, so check with your municipal school system regularly to see what is happening in your community. France’s scientific council, a government body that advises President Emmanuel Macron on the coronavirus crisis, said in a report in late July that “the balance is fragile, and we can change course at any time to a less-controlled scenario.” The council warned that a second wave was “highly possible” in the fall, given the current trend. The sharp rise in cases has led the government to declare Paris and the region of Marseille as high-risk zones, effectively granting the local authorities power to impose new measures aimed at containing the spread of the disease. In Paris, mask wearing had been limited to public transportation and indoor establishments, as it was in the rest of the country. But the requirement was extended to crowded outdoor areas about a week ago, and further expanded across many more swathes of the city over the weekend. Prime Minister Jean Castex warned last week that the country had been going “the wrong way” for the past few weeks, and said he wanted “to extend as far as possible the obligation to wear masks in public spaces.” The government’s reliance on face masks as a main weapon in its fight against the virus amounts to an about-face in its strategy. Early in the epidemic, faced with severe shortages of masks, the government said they were useless against the virus — contradicting its own longstanding public health policies. “I didn’t find them coherent at all,’’ said Laura Castel, 31, a high school teacher. “In the beginning, it was, ‘Don’t wear masks, they’re not necessary.’ But that’s because we just didn’t have masks, in my opinion.’’ Now that France has more than sufficient supplies of masks, Ms. Castel said, the government was “singing a new tune.’’ Perhaps because of the government’s contradictory messages on masks, people were slow to start wearing them in newly mask-mandatory zones in Paris. Along stretches of the Seine over the weekend, only about half of pedestrians had their faces covered. The police will be enforcing the measures — which will be in place for at least a month — with a fine of 135 euros, or $159. In addition to masks and tests, France now has other tools that were unavailable at the start of the epidemic, including contact-tracing teams and a contact-tracing smartphone application — though neither have been fully tested yet. As the French learn how to live with the virus, health officials have adapted by quickly moving to extinguish local outbreaks and tightening restrictions as needed. The goal is to prevent local clusters from spiraling out of control and pushing France again into a national lockdown. Anthony Rasoloarimanana, 40, a travel agent who was walking under the elevated metro tracks of Boulevard de la Chapelle in northern Paris, a new mask-mandatory zone, said he was worried that the recent period of resurgence was similar to the one just before the lockdown in March. “Have the sacrifices we’ve made over several months been for nothing?” he said of the lockdown. “That would be terrible.” Théophile Larcher contributed reporting from Paris. Monika Pronczuk contributed reporting from Brussels. The post Beaten Back, the Coronavirus Regains Strength in France appeared first on Shri Times News. from WordPress https://ift.tt/3awCnca

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