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A statement was released by Buckingham Palace on Friday to advise that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has postponed a number of royal engagements. This is in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which is sweeping the world.
Queen Elizabeth was seen to wear gloves at an earlier engagement in March, but Buckingham Palace thinks it best she avoids any unnecessary contact.
The Queen’s diary has been ‘rearranged’
Queen Elizabeth, 93, will be putting off a number of engagements and visits, including a trip to Camden in North London and Cheshire in England’s northwest. In the statement, it was advised that her diary will be “rearranged” for practical reasons and as a sensible precaution.
The changes made cover engagements in the “coming weeks” and further “events are to be reviewed on an ongoing basis in line with the appropriate advice.”
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While the Queen won’t be traveling around much, she will continue her audiences with the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
Coronavirus response in the UK
While Boris Johnson had recently suggested the UK should allow the spread of the virus, in order to achieve “herd immunity,” it seems sense has since prevailed. Great Britain is now entering a “delay” phase in its COVID-19 response, with several public events being canceled throughout the UK.
As reported by CNN, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, announced on Friday that they are canceling their planned spring tour over the coronavirus pandemic. The couple was to visit Cyprus, Jordan and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the trips have been postponed until further notice.
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Coronavirus particularly affects the elderly
At the age of 93, it is obviously a good idea for the Queen to postpone any possible contact with the virus. Elderly people and those with immunity deficiencies are the worst hit so far. The virus is said to have led to the deaths of more than 5,000 people worldwide.
Italy has shut down, and Spain today enters a “state of alarm” over COVID-19. Meanwhile, around 800 people have tested positive for the virus in the UK so far. However, Patrick Vallance, the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, said Thursday that the numbers of infections are more likely to rather be from 5,000 to 10,000 people infected. Regrettably, people are said to be able to carry and spread the virus, while unaware that they are infected.