3 minute read
World News
from Spooktober
WORLD WORLD
By: Encounter Staff
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Queen Elizabeth Hospitalized
Queen Elizabeth was recently hospitalized overnight. Queen Elizabeth, 95, was admitted for a “preliminary investigation” into her health. Initially the Buckingham Palace did not publicize that Queen Elizabeth was under hospital care. The Sun, a British tabloid, was the first report to publicize the hospitalization. The exact cause of the Queen’s admittance is currently unknown.
Queen Elizabeth also cancelled a trip to Northern Ireland for 100th anniversary engagements. The Queen is “…Following medical advice to rest for a few days,” as stated by a Buckingham Palace spokesperson. According to www.forbes.com, Queen Elizabeth is the longest-reigning monarch in the United Kingdom’s history. She has retained her throne since 1952. 2022 will bring her 70th year as Queen. Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s late husband, passed away earlier this year at the age of 99.
Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth has maintained good health. However, the news of Queen Elizabeth’s hospitalization comes after she was seen with a walking stick for the first time in 17 years. According to www. scmp.com, “The British monarch… was last photographed using a cane after undergoing a knee operation in 2004.” The sighting was at a church service at Westminster Abbey. Again, Buckingham Palace would not specify any reasoning for the cane.
Disney 2021 Adaptive Halloween Costumes
Disney released a new collection of adaptive costumes for the 2021 Halloween season. Some of the costumes include Marvel’s “Black Panther” and a Star Wars “Mandalorian” adaptive costume.
"We are excited to meet the needs of more of our guests and plan to continue to grow the collection," said Stephanie Young, president of Consumer Products, Games and Publishing at The Walt Disney Company. Adaptive costumes are designed for those who use wheelchairs, as there are stretched openings made large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. There are also flap openings in the front designed to allow for tube access.
Disney first introduced these adaptive costumes in 2020 featuring characters such as The Incredibles and Buzz Lightyear. This year’s full line of adaptive costumes are available to shop on Disney’s website.
NEWS NEWS
Is it time for a COVID Booster Shot?
The COVID-19 Delta Variant continues to spread throughout the globe, so now more than ever it is important to get vaccinated and stop the spread. According to www.ourworldindata.org, about 190 million Americans are fully vaccinated. However, to fully protect ourselves, it may be time for a booster shot, according to viral experts.
Firstly, even though vaccines are extremely effective, immunity against infection can lessen over time naturally. Getting booster shots increases the effectiveness of the vaccine. Currently, only at-risk people are eligible to receive booster shots, as they are the majority who will need it the most. However, U.S. health authorities say that the first priority is vaccinating the unvaccinated first rather than receiving booster doses.
All three vaccines, Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson, have been authorized to give booster shots in the United States. More than 120 million Americans will be eligible for booster shots in the coming months, but it depends on the timing of your first dose. If you got Pfizer or Moderna shots first, you’re eligible if your last dose was at least six months ago and you’re 65 or older or a younger adult living or working in high-risk conditions. For Johnson & Johnson, anyone who received the vaccine in the past two months is eligible for a booster, no matter your age or other factors. Don’t worry if you are not eligible for a booster yet- the Center for Disease Control has stated that those without booster doses are still considered fully vaccinated. However, it is important to keep wearing a mask where it is recommended to be completely safe.
Lastly, it is still unknown whether this will be the last or only COVID-19 booster shot we will need. Some experts say we will need COVID-19 vaccines annually, like the flu. In the meantime, it is important that we follow CDC guidelines and get booster shots when they become available to us to help slow the spread of COVID.
