{"id":25984,"date":"2020-04-14T18:56:06","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T16:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/2020\/04\/monaco-red-cross-helping-principality-to-face-pandemic-interview-with-sec-gen-frederic-platini\/"},"modified":"2020-04-14T19:01:08","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T17:01:08","slug":"monaco-red-cross-helping-principality-to-face-pandemic-interview-with-sec-gen-frederic-platini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/en\/2020\/04\/monaco-red-cross-helping-principality-to-face-pandemic-interview-with-sec-gen-frederic-platini\/","title":{"rendered":"Monaco Red Cross helping Principality to face pandemic. Interview with Sec-Gen Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Platini"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Platini, the Secretary-General of the Monaco Red Cross, spoke to Monaco Tribune to discuss actions implemented in the Principality since the beginning of the COVID-19 health crisis.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fully committed to the services of city hall, the Monaco Red Cross<\/a> (MRC) is working tirelessly to help Monaco\u2019s citizens deal with the coronavirus pandemic in the most efficient way possible. The secretary-general of the MRC, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Platini, was keen to explain the different aid measures put in place.<\/p>\n

Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric, how is the Red Cross managing the current situation?<\/strong>
\nIt is completely manageable for us right now. We have reserves of volunteers and staff if the crisis were ever to escalate. You have to remember that the country is already well-organised, with a smaller population, unlike our Italian neighbours with whom I am in regular contact. [The Monaco Red Cross recently donated to its Italian counterpart].<\/p>\n

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We are delivering nearly 500 meals a day<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Various actions have been carried out by the Monaco Red Cross since the start of the health crisis, particularly in terms of logistics. Can you explain to us what is currently happening?<\/strong>
\nRegarding logistics, we are stepping up our service given the growing demand. Working with city hall, we are delivering nearly 500 meals a day, and we anticipate this is likely to increase. This is a service which has been growing since the beginning of the crisis, implemented by city hall before the outbreak. We will be able to keep up with demand. In terms of what we at the Red Cross do independently, we run errands for people, whether for food or medications, so that we can provide for people who don\u2019t feel like going out.<\/p>\n

The Red Cross has also set up a call centre here in Monaco?<\/strong>
\nAbsolutely. It is a government-run call centre, managed by the Department of Social Affairs. We are putting our staff on standby to answer questions. From the beginning of the epidemic, until March 17th, we received many calls until the government announced and explained measures. This service reduced the workload of our operators. The call centre works alongside the home medical monitoring centre, both of which are well-equipped to manage the current situation. We are helping the follow-ups taking place in the homes of infected patients to check vitals, allowing doctors to stay at the centre. At the same time, we can relay them information to find out whether the patient needs to be hospitalised or not. We have set up an anonymous helpline which allows people to speak with Red Cross volunteers who are trained in providing support when you are feeling unwell or in psychological distress. If necessary, we can forward calls to psychologists and professionals.<\/p>\n