Prince William and Kate Middleton are currently on an official tour of Ireland as part of their royal duties. While speaking with emergency workers at a reception hosted by Britain's ambassador to Ireland, Robin Barnett, in Dublin, the Duke of Cambridge made a few jokes about the spread of coronavirus.
As the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, travel restrictions have been applied to certain countries and airlines have started cancelling flights as bookings steadily drop. Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reassures travelers that international flights won't necessarily make the spread of coronavirus any worse, many remain afraid about traveling.
At the reception in Dublin, Prince William joked he and Kate were spreading the virus because they decided to travel from England to Ireland. "By the way, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spreading coronavirus, sorry," he said. "We're keeping an eye on that, so do tell us if we need to stop."
William also spoke with an advance paramedic with the National Ambulance Service named Joe Mooney and asked his opinions on the reaction to coronavirus. "I bet everyone's like 'I've got coronavirus, I'm dying,' and you're like 'No, you've just got a cough,'" William reportedly said. "Does it seem quite dramatic about coronavirus at the moment? Is it being a little bit hyped up, do you think, in the media?" Mooney's response to William's questions were not shared.
Despite William's jokes, he and Kate were taking necessary precautions while in Ireland. A royal source told SkyNews the Cambridges were following guidance from Public Health England and the Department of Health, however, they are still able to carry on "business for usual" for the time being.
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