LONDON – Queen Elizabeth II is returning to work after a scare from Covid, Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday, ending more than a week of heightened health concerns in Britain’s longest-ruling monarch after it was announced it had tested positive. for coronavirus.
The palace said the monarch was feeling well enough to resume virtual engagements and other duties, including audiences with representatives from other countries.
Queen Elizabeth, 95, tested positive for coronavirus for the first time on February 20, and the palace described her symptoms as mild.
It was not clear where or from whom the queen contracted the infection, but several others at her residence in Windsor Castle, west of London, also tested positive, suggesting an outbreak there. The Queen also recently met with her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, who was later reported to be isolated after being re-infected with the coronavirus.
In the days after taking the test for the first time, Elizabeth canceled some virtual engagements at least twice after showing mild symptoms but continued with “minor duties”, the palace said.
She received her first coronavirus vaccine in January 2021, but the palace has not confirmed whether she received subsequent doses. Charles said he was fully vaccinated and also received a booster.
However, the news that a potentially deadly virus has infected the queen, who recently celebrated the 70th anniversary of her reign, has raised concerns about her well-being. She had spent much of the pandemic quarantine at Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April at the age of 99.
In the autumn, the Queen canceled numerous public appearances and was admitted to hospital for tests before being discharged and advised to rest.
Her positive test for the virus came when Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted restrictions on Covid in England last week, including the rule that those who test positive must be isolated for five days. So-called Covid passports to enter some indoor venues will eventually be removed in April, when the government will also stop providing free tests to the public.
On Monday, the UK reported an average of 33,161 new cases a day last week, according to official figures. Cases fell by 52 percent from averages two weeks ago, and deaths fell by 40 percent during that time.
Wales and Scotland, whose officials set their own public health policies, also eased some legal restrictions on Monday, although they did not reach as far as England.
Mark Landler contributed to the reporting.