RESIDENTS of a small town in France have been officially banned from dying on weekends or public holidays.
The mayor of La Gresle on the outskirts of Lyon has introduced the unusual regulation in response to an acute shortage of health workers in the area.
Mayor Isabelle Dugelet cited the recent death of an elderly nursing home resident, where no doctor could be found to record the official details.
Eventually a medico was found who was willing to drive from a neighbouring region to certify the deceased.
Dugelet acknowledged that the "death ban" was a publicity stunt, saying the "absurd order is a response to the absurdity of the healthcare system".
A stunt organised by US beer maker Anheuser-Busch may not be the ideal activity for influenza season.
The germ-spreading festive season event aimed to break the Guinness World Record for "kissing under the mistletoe".
A total of 896 couples simultaneously locked lips in St Louis Missouri, Merrimack New Hampshire and Fort Collins Colorado.
The successful attempt set a new mark for "most couples kissing under the mistletoe (multiple venues)," while the St Louis gathering also broke the Guinness World Record for "most couples kissing under the mistletoe (single venue)," with 480 couples besting the previous record of 448.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 11 Dec 19
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