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King Charles, in 2023 Christmas address, urges people to care for each another and the Earth
Britain’s King Charles III spoke of the importance of human kindness and urged people to care for one another and our planet in his annual Christmas address. He and other members of the royal family gathered at their estate in Sandringham for their traditional holiday celebration.
It was Charles’ second Christmas message since he became king following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in September 2022, and the first since his coronation ceremony last May.
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In remarks filmed at Buckingham Palace earlier this month and broadcast Monday across the U.K. and Commonwealth nations, he spoke of remembering “those who are no longer with us” and praised “those whose work of caring for others continues, even on this special day.”
“Over this past year my heart has been warmed by countless examples of the imaginative ways in which people are caring for one another — going the extra mile to help those around them simply because they know it is the right thing to do,” he said.
He did not mention other members of the royal family by name, but made one point on behalf of himself and his wife, Queen Camilla, saying they were delighted that members of a “selfless army” of community volunteers were able to join them at Westminster Abbey for the coronation.
Service, he said, “lies at the heart of the Christmas story,” and is a value “all the more important at a time of real hardship for many, when we need to build on existing ways to support others less fortunate than ourselves.”
In addition to serving one other, King Charles, a longtime environmentalist, said humanity is called upon to care for all of Creation.
“We care for the Earth for the sake of our children’s children,” he said. “During my lifetime I have been so pleased to see a growing awareness of how we must protect the Earth and our natural world as the one home which we all share.”
Royal family’s Christmas in photos
King Charles, Queen Camilla and others in the royal family attended services Christmas morning at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, the estate in Norfolk where they traditionally spend the holiday.
Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images
The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, walked right behind Charles and Camilla and greeted well-wishers who lined the path. The king’s younger son, Harry, and wife Megan, who now live in California, were not present.
Stephen Pond / Getty Images
Prince Andrew made an appearance with the royal family despite the scandal surrounding his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the legal settlement he reached over allegations of sex abuse last year.
His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, also joined the family for the walk to church this Christmas — her first time doing so in over 30 years, BBC News reported. She was treated for breast cancer earlier this year. Their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their husbands attended as well.
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Stephen Pond / Getty Images
CHRIS RADBURN / REUTERS
CHRIS RADBURN / REUTERS
CHRIS RADBURN / REUTERS
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Helene disrupts yellow jacket, bee nests in North Carolina, prompting massive Benadryl, EpiPen requests
Deadly flooding from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina has disrupted the underground nests of yellow jackets, bees and other insects, causing them to swarm and sting people struggling to recover from the storm.
It has caused such a surge in requests for medication to protect people allergic to stings that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is buying Benadryl and epinephrine injections to help fill requests through hospitals, emergency medical personnel and doctors.
Pharmacists in the state can also provide emergency refills for people who are already prescribed allergy medications, according to a state health department spokesperson. The state is planning to allow people to buy epinephrine injections such as EpiPens without a prescription, and it is working to collect and distribute donations of medicines.
While most people are not allergic to stings from bees and other insects, irritation and pain can be intense and stings can swell and remain painful for days, according to the Mayo Clinic. And some people can have a severe allergic reaction that can lead to anaphylaxis that can cause difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue and throat, weak pulse and loss of consciousness. In these situations, it’s critical to administer epinephrine immediately.
Being stung more than a dozen times can also cause a buildup of venom in the body that can cause serious sickness that can include dizziness, fever, convulsions or vomiting.
To reduce the risk of getting stung, experts recommend wearing long and light-colored clothing that has a smooth finish, avoiding perfumes and smelly soaps and deodorants.
If there’s only one stinging insect around, they recommend staying calm and still, and to avoid swatting at it. But if several are stinging, they say it’s better to try to quickly get indoors or into a shaded area. Bees release a chemical when they sting that attracts other bees.
Several hospitals across the U.S. are grappling with shortages of IV fluid after flooding from Hurricane Helene forced medical fluid manufacturers to halt production.
Baxter International, the leading supplier of IV fluids to hospitals, said its facility in Marion, North Carolina, remains closed for the foreseeable future.
“Baxter’s North Cove facility affected by flooding and currently closed for production as the company assesses extent of the impact,” the company says in a statement on its website.
The company, which supplies about 60% of the country’s IV fluid bags, added that it’s working with federal agencies to support recovery efforts and “mitigate supply disruption to patients.”
IV fluids are administered intravenously to treat dehydration and are critical for surgery, during which patients are asleep for a long time and unable to eat and drink.
“Remediation efforts are already underway, and we will spare no resource — human or financial — to resume production and help ensure patients and providers have the products they need,” José (Joe) E. Almeida, chair, president and chief executive officer at Baxter, said in a statement.
Mass General Brigham is among the health care systems that has not received its usual supply of IV fluid. Chief preparedness and continuity officer Dr. Paul Biddinger said during a press conference Friday that the hospital network expects to receive about 40% of what it usually gets from Baxter.
Biddinger called the supply constraint “one of the biggest shortages” the hospital network has ever dealt with.
Other manufacturers of IV fluids say they’re ramping up production to help cover the shortage. B. Braun said none of its manufacturing sites were affected by the Hurricane Helene, and that it’s “taking immediate steps to increase production at our pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in Irvine, California, and Daytona Beach, Florida, focusing on critical IV fluids.”
The company as also placed its products on “protective allocation” and is encouraging providers that administer IVs to practice conservation, including by using alternative hydration methods, a spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch.
ICU Medical, another IV fluid manufacturer, said it’s also taking steps “to increase production to help meet market needs while continuing to support our existing customers.”
Hospitals also experienced IV fluid shortages in 2017, when Hurricane Maria disrupted manufacturing.
“Having experienced similar challenges in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, we continue to be mindful of how we manage the supply of these medications to ensure minimal impact on our patients. Hospital operations continue as normal and patient care remains unaffected,” Dr. Biddinger of Mass General Brigham said in a statement.
Several hospitals across the U.S. are grappling with shortages of IV fluid after flooding from Hurricane Helene forced medical fluid manufacturers to halt production.
Baxter International, the leading supplier of IV fluids to hospitals, said its facility in Marion, North Carolina, remains closed for the foreseeable future. In a statement on its website, the company says, “Baxter’s North Cove facility affected by flooding and currently closed for production as the company assesses extent of the impact.”
The company, which supplies about 60% of the country’s IV fluid bags, added that it’s working with federal agencies to support recovery efforts and “mitigate supply disruption to patients.”
IV fluids are administered intravenously to treat dehydration and are critical for surgery, during which patients are asleep for a long time and unable to eat and drink.
“Remediation efforts are already underway, and we will spare no resource — human or financial — to resume production and help ensure patients and providers have the products they need,” José (Joe) E. Almeida, chair, president and chief executive officer at Baxter, said in a statement.
Mass General Brigham is among the health care systems that has not received its usual supply of IV fluid. Chief preparedness and continuity officer Dr. Paul Biddinger said during a press conference Friday that the hospital network expects to receive about 40% of what it usually gets from Baxter.
Biddinger called the supply constraint “one of the biggest shortages” the hospital network has ever dealt with.
Other manufacturers of IV fluids say they’re ramping up production to help cover the shortage. B. Braun said none of its manufacturing sites were affected by the Hurricane Helene, and that it’s “taking immediate steps to increase production at our pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in Irvine, California, and Daytona Beach, Florida, focusing on critical IV fluids.”
The company as also placed its products on “protective allocation” and is encouraging providers that administer IVs to practice conservation, including by using alternative hydration methods, a spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch.
ICU Medical, another IV fluid manufacturer, said it’s also taking steps “to increase production to help meet market needs while continuing to support our existing customers.”
Hospitals also experienced IV fluid shortages in 2017, when Hurricane Maria disrupted manufacturing.
“Having experienced similar challenges in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, we continue to be mindful of how we manage the supply of these medications to ensure minimal impact on our patients. Hospital operations continue as normal and patient care remains unaffected,” Dr. Biddinger of Mass General Brigham said in a statement.
Helene disrupts yellow jacket, bee nests in North Carolina, prompting massive Benadryl, EpiPen requests
Hospitals across the U.S. face IV fluid shortage after Hurricane Helene
Hospitals across the U.S. face IV fluid shortage after Hurricane Helene
Helene disrupts yellow jacket, bee nests in North Carolina, prompting massive Benadryl, EpiPen requests
Hospitals across the U.S. face IV fluid shortage after Hurricane Helene