27 March 2020 | UK NEWS
Boris Johnson is currently self-isolating in Downing Street after having tested positive for Coronavirus. The Prime Minister was tested after complaining of mild symptoms of the deadly disease.
The PM published a video on his social media this morning stating that, while self-isolating, he will still remain in charge of the Government’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. It is believed that this will be done via video conference.
Here is a copy of the Prime Minister’s statement in full:
(Courtesy of BBC News)
Hi folks,
I want to bring you up to speed with something that’s happening today, which is that I’ve developed mild symptoms of the Coronavirus – that’s to say, a temperature and a persistent cough.
And on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, I’ve taken a test that has come out positive, so I am working from home. I’m self-isolating and that’s entirely the right thing to do.
But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against Coronavirus.
And I want to thank everybody who’s involved. I want to thank, of course, above all, our amazing NHS staff.
It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS. But it’s not just the NHS; it’s police, social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP staff.
An amazing national effort by the public services but also by every member of the British public who’s volunteering – an incredible response.
Six hundred thousand people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of Coronavirus. I want to thank you.
I want to thank everybody who’s keen to keep our country going through this epidemic and we will get through it.
And the way we’re going to get through it is, of course, by applying the measures that you will have heard so much about – and the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we’ll bounce back.
So thank you to everybody who’s doing what I’m doing, working from home to stop the spread of the virus from household to household. That’s the way we’re going to win.
We’re going to beat it and we’re going to beat it together.
Stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.
For now, Boris Johnson is in a fit enough state to carry on as Prime Minister, although it is not yet clear who would take over if his health starts to deteriorate.
The UK currently does not have a line of succession and Boris Johnson has never appointed a Deputy Prime Minister. But according to LBC, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would take over Prime Ministerial duties if Boris Johnson is incapacitated by Coronavirus infection.
A Number 10 spokesperson told reporters that Mr Raab would fill in as he was the First Secretary of State.
The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has also tested positive for Coronavirus and is currently self-isolating and working from home.
The announcement of both Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock testing positive follows a long list of MPs who have also been self-isolating. Others who have been announced today include Angela Rayner, Florence Eshalomi and Alistair Carmichael.
