UK PM Boris Johnson now moved into intensive care.

[elaine567]

Whatever your politics, this is dreadful news....

[Gaeta]

I just saw that! He was doing ok yesterday and now on respirator. He's only 55. I hope he'll make it through.

[simpycurious]

This is terrible.  I am from the US but regardless this is awful.  I am pulling for him 

[elaine567]

Yesterday evening he was taken into hospital, about the same time the Queen's speech was being broadcast, so that may have been an indication all was not well.
I doubt he would have wanted to "upstage" the Queen, so I guess it was "serious" then, though No10 tried to play it down' today.
I am not particularly religious, but I am praying...

[littleblackheart]

This is such dreadful news. I have no time for him or his party politically, and even less time for how he handled the C19 crisis, but this is awful. His pregnant partner is said to be showing symptoms too.

[preraph]

 

Sorry to hear this.  Hope he pulls through.

[Emilie Jolie]

I feel for him and his family on a personal basis, and of course I hope his recovery is speedy. At the same time, he knowingly put himself and everyone around him at risk by openly bragging about shaking hands with virus carriers and saying it wasn't a big deal. Well, it was a big deal. The virus doesn't care who you are.

[chillii]

Yeah saw that coming he looked terrible in the last few days before he went into hospital , l admired him tying to appear ok for the people could see he was struggling. Don't know about the political side of things but they've all made mistakes in all this , hope he gets through it.

[Foxhall]

Yes, people will be in no doubt now as to how serious the virus potentially is, 

I imagine pushing himself to continue with work duties rather than resting properly has exacerbated his condition,

 he appears a relatively fit man, with some intensive chest treatment, he should rally around.

 

 

[Ellener]

Praying for the PM and for everyone really...everywhere. 

[schlumpy]

I understand he is in one of the best hospitals in London. They will do their best. This would not be a good time for new elections so get well soon Mr. Prime Minister.

[gaius]

I don't know why they weren't just honest from the beginning. 10 days is the time frame a lot of people start taking a turn for the worse if they're going to. That whole load of BS about it being precautionary was unnecessary.

Best wishes to Boris, his partner, friends and the UK.

Edited April 7, 2020 by gaius

[Ellener]

'Mr Johnson, 55, was stable overnight, is being given oxygen and is not on a ventilator, a spokesman added' ( BBC ) Sounds like he's doing ok again.

[Ellener]

Here's the timeline of his illness, it was fully reported on the BBC news daily https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52201048

[elaine567]

Seems to me the "update" from Dominic Raab this afternoon was a rehash of the morning statement, same words, as opposed to a real live "update".
No-one in the press asked any probing questions about it.
 

[RecentChange]

It's truly terrible that he has fallen ill, but before he became sick I was just absolutely floored that he BRAGGED about shaking hands with everyone, and how he didn't plan to stop.

He said he went to a hospital and shook hands of those suffering from COVID.

Why in the world did he do this? Did he not believe the scientist? Why did he downplay the warnings?

I can't help to wonder, how many other people have become ill because they listened to, and trusted their leader.

His behavior was incredibly dangerous not only to himself but others. 

Hopefully he lives and learns from this lesson, and hopefully others do not die because they trusted his very bad judgement.

[chillii]

Yeah saw some clip, God only knows , trying to relax people a bit or something maybe , l'd be thinking the heart and intention were maybe in the right place but the thinking and example yeah , major eff up  bad move.  Anyway , he's a bit of a heavy old fella so l hope that doesn't make getting through it any worse .

[Ellener]

24 minutes ago, chillii said:

bit of a heavy old fella

That reminds me of a WW1 poem I learned at school in England:

'...He's a cheery old card said Harry to Jack

As they slogged up to Arrass with rifle and pack.

But he did for them both with his plan of attack.'

 

It's certainly a test of leadership a world crisis, I think we are seeing many more capable people on the front lines as usual!

 

[elaine567]

30 minutes ago, chillii said:

Anyway , he's a bit of a heavy old fella so l hope that doesn't make getting through it any worse .

Quote

During the influenza A (H1N1) - or swine flu - viral pandemic of 2009, studies showed that obesity was an independent risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality following infection.

Those studies found that people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) - a calculation taking into account height and weight - of 30 or above fared much worse after being infected by the flu virus than those with a "normal" BMI of 24.9 or below, with more cases of pneumonia reported in this cohort.

But is the same true for coronavirus?

A Chinese study published last month looked at 112 COVID-19 patients and their outcomes. Sadly, 17 of these patients died. Fifteen of the deceased (88 percent) were classed as being overweight or more on the BMI scale. By comparison, only 18 of the 95 survivors (19 percent) were classed as overweight or above on the BMI scale.

This study prompted experts to question what it was about obesity that might make it a risk factor when it comes to coronavirus.

 

[chillii]

 

Yeah right , thought something like that might be the case .

[elaine567]

No evidence that he smokes but he may do, many in high stress jobs do, and that is another risk factor.

Quote

A new study from China shows smokers with coronavirus are 14 times more likely to develop severe disease.

 

[d0nnivain]

The last report  I read said he was improving but still in ICU.  

[elaine567]

Yes, he is "sitting up in bed" today.

[Libby1]

I'm glad to hear that he is now out of intensive care, but his government 's overly laid back approach to this several weeks back has contributed to many of our people being less lucky.  I saw on Twitter that the Sun is celebrating his release from the ICU with the headline "Now that really is a Good Friday!!"  On a day when the UK has had something like 1,000 coronavirus related deaths in a 24 hour period, that's a total slap in the face to all the families who lost a loved one today.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Libby1

[carhill]

Quote

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson left hospital on Sunday and thanked the National Health Service for saving his life, saying "things could have gone either way" for him as he battled COVID-19.