Buckingham Palace announced on Sunday morning that Queen Elizabeth II has contracted COVID-19, and the response on social media is already hectic. The monarch is 95 years old and has other health problems to consider. Pundits and casual commenters alike were speculating about her status within minutes.
The queen tested positive for the coronavirus shortly after her son, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla were diagnosed with it, the palace announced on Sunday morning. She is reportedly experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms” and is expecting to make a full recovery. According to a report by Sky News, the queen got three mRNA vaccine shots and is being attended by royal physicians at home. She expects to resume her duties as usual by the end of the week.
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Some wished the queen well after the news broke and shared her confidence in a full recovery. Others were more concerned, wondering if there were details being left out of the palace’s announcement. Still others were angry that the queen was exposed to the virus at her advanced age.
Meanwhile, her diagnosis sparked fresh discussions about the pandemic in general, including some about the disparity in care that the wealthy and the impoverished receive. To many, the queen’s diagnosis was a sign that the pandemic is not over yet. here’s a look at how the discussion is playing out.
British Leaders
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted his well-wishes for the queen shortly after her diagnosis was announced on Sunday morning. his rival, labor party leader Keir Starmer did so as well.
Prayers
Plenty of posts were simple prayers for the queen, expressed with no social or political commentary.
Precautions
Pundits noted that this diagnosis does not look good for those that advocated to have COVID-19 safety protocols relaxed. According to journalist Omid Scobie, some policies were recently changed in Buckingham Palace.
Example
Some commenters wanted to see the flowery language set aside and have this diagnosis used as an example to influence public policy in the U.K.
Confident
Longtime admirers were confident that the queen would recover from this illness, and even that she would be ready for her upcoming events.
Humanized
Politics aside, many people felt that this diagnosis humanized the queen and elicited sympathy. They remarked that she is a recent widow, and her mental health is likely strained as well as her physical health.
Prince Charles
Finally, fans noted that it is a bad look for Prince Charles to have given his mother this dangerous virus as her heir. Many wondered how the prince would handle that guilt.
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