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Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock in self-isolation with coronavirus Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock in self-isolation with coronavirus
(32 minutes later)
Prime minister and health secretary say they have mild symptoms and will continue to lead Covid-19 responsePrime minister and health secretary say they have mild symptoms and will continue to lead Covid-19 response
Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock have both tested positive for coronavirus and will have to work leading the government’s efforts to tackle the pandemic in isolation. Boris Johnson and the health secretary, Matt Hancock, have tested positive for coronavirus, they revealed on Friday, leaving them to work in isolation on leading the government’s efforts to tackle the pandemic.
After the prime minister, who is 55, said he had mild symptoms and would self-isolate in Downing Street, Hancock posted a Twitter video saying that he too had mild symptoms and he would be able to continue. The prime minister, who is 55, will self-isolate for seven days in his flat above No 11 Downing Street after announcing that he had mild symptoms of a cough and temperature.
Johnson received the result at midnight, just hours after he was seen outside the door of No 10 clapping in support of NHS workers alongside the chancellor, Rishi Sunak.
Hancock, who has responsibility for the NHS, said he would self-isolate until next Thursday.
Both men have been in repeated contact with senior political figures, including cabinet members, and advisers in the last few days. But despite the two men testing positive, no other ministers, nor the chief medical officer or chief scientific officer would be tested for the virus unless they showed symptoms, Downing Street said.
It is unknown how Johnson contracted the illness but officials confirmed other people who worked in No 10 were self-isolating after having coronavirus symptoms.
Johnson posted a video on Friday morning on Twitter saying he had a temperature and a persistent cough. “I am working from home, I’m self-isolating, and that’s entirely the right thing to do,” he said.Johnson posted a video on Friday morning on Twitter saying he had a temperature and a persistent cough. “I am working from home, I’m self-isolating, and that’s entirely the right thing to do,” he said.
In the video, which Johnson recorded himself on a mobile phone, he said: “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 fightback against coronavirus.”In the video, which Johnson recorded himself on a mobile phone, he said: “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 fightback against coronavirus.”
Later, Hancock said he would be self-isolating until next Thursday. The prime minister’s official spokesman said on Friday: “The prime minister’s symptoms are mild and he is continuing to do all of the same functions he was performing before. The only difference is now he will have to do that by teleconferencing.”
“Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I’ve been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response,” he said. “I’ll be continuing to do everything I can to get our carers the support that they need. And I’ll be doing that from here but with no less gusto.” Johnson chaired this morning’s Covid-19 meeting of government ministers and health experts. His regular audience with the Queen has been conducted by phone for at least two weeks.
“And then from next Thursday, once I’m out of self-isolation and I hope with no more symptoms, then I’ll be able to get back stuck in and into the office where necessary.” Although the foreign secretary is officially the person who steps in to cover the prime minister’s role if he is incapacitated, there are no plans for Dominic Raab to stand in for Johnson.
Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who is five months pregnant, is also expected to enter self-isolation, away from the prime minister. There has been no word on whether she also has the virus. The Downing Street spokesperson said: “From the moment he had symptoms he took steps to ensure that he wasn’t in close contact with anyone.
“He did really want to take part in clapping NHS staff. It’s something he felt was important but in taking part in that national moment he ensured he didn’t come into close contact with anyone.
“He stood outside No 10 at a very significant distance from the chancellor.”
On testing people who have been close to Johnson in recent days, he said: “No 10 is considered a workplace. The advice to staff here and the prime minister’s colleagues is they don’t need to do anything in terms of self-isolation unless they start to suspect that they have symptoms, in which case they should follow the Public Health England advice.”
No 11 and the four-bedroom flat, which was previously occupied by the former prime ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair, have been sealed off from No 10 Downing Street and No 12 by shutting the doors that staff and government officials use to move between the buildings.
The prime minister will work from the office usually used by the chancellor, who has given it over to Johnson during his period of isolation. It has been kitted out with full videoconferencing equipment.
Sunak will continue to work from his office in the Treasury; it is not thought that his wife and young children are living at Downing Street. His predecessor, Sajid Javid, lived in the smaller flat at No 10.
It is not known whether the chancellor has been tested.
Johnson’s isolation will involve meals and work being delivered to him by staff, who will knock on the door and then give him time to collect it.
The prime minister’s spokesperson would not comment on whether his partner, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, was in Downing Street or would be self-isolating. The recommendation for members of the household of someone who has the virus is to self-isolate for 14 days.
The World Health Organization has said there is no evidence that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness than the general population if they contract Covid-19.The World Health Organization has said there is no evidence that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness than the general population if they contract Covid-19.
Its director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, offered his best wishes to Johnson. Its director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, offered his best wishes to Johnson. “Please take good care,” he wrote on Twitter. “I wish you an easy recovery.”
MPs and world leaders were also quick to offer their best wishes. The Downing Street spokesman said: “The prime minister follows all of the guidelines which have been issued by Public Health England in full. His circumstance is such that he will be required to self isolate for seven days.”
They included Charles Michel, the president of the European council, and Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison. In a video message Hancock said: “Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I’ve been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response.
Ian Blackford, the Scottish National party’s leader in the House of Commons, said the news showed no one was immune. “I’ll be continuing to do everything I can to get our carers the support that they need. And I’ll be doing that from here but with no less gusto.”
Earlier in the week it was announced that the Prince of Wales had “mild symptoms” of the disease. The Labour MP Angela Rayner, the favourite to become the party’s deputy leader, announced on Twitter that she was self-isolating after displaying symptoms.
The former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said the thoughts and prayers of the nation were with Johnson.
The shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said it was a “hugely worrying time for everyone”.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty. The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.
“In keeping with the guidance, the prime minister is self-isolating in Downing Street. He is continuing to lead the government’s response to coronavirus.”