Prince Charles has described the coronavirus pandemic as an "anxious time in all our lives" and applauded the work of charities helping the elderly during the crisis.

Key points: Prince Charles said he was on the "other side" of COVID-19 after mild symptoms

Prince Charles said he was on the "other side" of COVID-19 after mild symptoms He thanked "wonderful" neighbours and volunteers for looking out for the vulnerable in the community

He thanked "wonderful" neighbours and volunteers for looking out for the vulnerable in the community The Prince said he and his wife were thinking of those who have lost their loved ones to the virus

The message from the heir to the throne, posted to Royal social media accounts, is the Prince's first appearance since he self-isolated last week after contracting the virus.

He said his symptoms had been "relatively mild" and that he was "one the other side of the illness but still in no less state of social distance and general isolation".

His wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles tested negative.

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"As we're all learning, this is a strange, frustrating and often distressing experience when the presence of family and friends is no longer possible and the normal structures of life are suddenly removed at such an unprecedented and anxious time in all our lives," he said from Birkhall, the Prince's home on the Balmoral estate in Scotland.

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"My wife and I are thinking, particularly of all those who have lost their loved ones, in such very difficult and abnormal circumstances."

The Prince said people of all ages were being affected by the virus.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.

"Our hearts go out to all those older people throughout this country, who are now experiencing great difficulty," the Duke of Cornwall said.

The Prince praised the work of healthcare workers and volunteers.

"There are truly wonderful neighbours, individuals and groups of volunteers who are providing ceaseless care and attention to those most at risk," he said.

He said that "network of selfless assistance" was helping to support and reassure "hard-pressed professional services".

Prince Charles is a patron of Age UK, while his wife is the patron of Silver Line, a helpline offering support to the elderly.

"It has been so wonderful to see just how many across the United Kingdom have signed up in the hundreds of thousands to be NHS [National Health Service] volunteers offering their help to do whatever they can to provide support to those on the front line," he said.

"It is clearly essential therefore, that such key people are treated with special consideration when coming off the exhausting duties and trying to do their shopping, for instance, while having to contend with constant anxiety about their own families and friends."

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AP