2 Daily Express Wednesday, April 8, 2020
CORONAVIRUS: OUTPOURING
‘FIGHTER’ BORIS WILL
FROM PAGE ONEAt home...Michael GoveMinister’s condition is stable and
he remains in intensive care
for close monitoring. He is in
good spirits.”
Officials said Mr Johnson was
breathing without a ventilator and
did not have pneumonia.
On his first full day deputising
for him, Mr Raab said: “I’m
confident he’ll pull through.
“Because if there’s one thing I
know about this Prime Minister,
he’s a fighter and he’ll be back at
the helm leading us through this
crisis in short order.
“And for us in the Cabinet, we
know exactly what he wants from
us and what he expects from us
right now. I can reassure the PrimeMinister, and we can reassure the
public, that his team will not blink,
and we will not flinch from the task
at hand at this crucial moment.
“We will keep all of our focus
and all of our resolve, with calm
determination on delivering the
Government’s plan to defeat
the coronavirus.”
Mr Johnson was admitted tohospital on Sunday on his doctor’s
advice after continuing to suffer
coronavirus symptoms 10 days
since testing positive.
His spokesman denied Number
10 had sought to hide the serious-
ness of his decline, telling report-
ers: “We have been fully frank with
you throughout.”
The Queen was being updatedregularly on Mr Johnson’s condi-
tion, the spokesman said.
Cabinet Office Minister Michael
Gove, who is himself isolating
at home, said the Cabinet was
left in “shock” by Mr Johnson’s
sudden deterioration.
He said: “All of us are discover-
ing that this virus has a malignity
and a malevolence that is
truly frightening.”
Meanwhile, get well wishes
flooded in from across the country
and around the world.
Mr Johnson’s predecessor
Theresa May said: “This must be aterribly difficult time for him and
those around him, but I wish him
well and I want him to have a
speedy and good recovery.”
Former Tory prime minister
David Cameron described Mr
Johnson’s illness as “worrying
news” but added: “Boris is a very
tough, very resilient, very fit
person. I know that from facing
him on the tennis court and I’m
sure he’ll come through this.”
Tens of thousands of well-wish-
ers joined in a Twitter “clap for
Boris” campaign last night.
It included a “get well soon”*RYHZRUNLQJLQLVRODWLRQ
CABINET Office Minister Michael
Gove yesterday became the latest
key Government figure forced into
self-isolation.
He is at home after a family
member showed symptoms of the
virus. Aides insisted he was
working as normal.
Mr Gove conducted interviews
on key television channels from
his home yesterday morning,
hours before it was revealed he
was in isolation. It was not knownwhich family member is involved.
His wife Sarah Vine is
a journalist. They have a teenage
son and teenage daughter.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock
returned to work last week seven
days after being diagnosed with
Covid-19. Cabinet ministers
Alister Jack and Ben Wallace also
had to self-isolate after displaying
symptoms, as has Prime Minister
Boris Johnson’s chief adviser
Dominic Cummings.4XHHQVPHVVDJHWR&DUULH
THE Queen yesterday sent a
message to Boris Johnson’s
fiancee and his wider family to
say they were in her thoughts.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman
said: “Earlier today the Queen sent
a message to Carrie Symonds and
to the Johnson family.
“Her Majesty said they were in
her thoughts and that she wishes
the Prime Minister a full and
speedy recovery.”
Meanwhile, the Duke ofCambridge tweeted: “Our thoughts
are with the Prime Minister and his
family, who like so many in the UK
and around the world are affected
by coronavirus.
“We wish him a speedy recovery
at this difficult time.”
Prince Charles, who has
recovered about a mild bout of
Covid-19, sent a message from
himself and the Duchess of
Cornwall to Mr Johnson, also
wishing him a “speedy recovery”.Struggling...the PM in his last video address to the nationIn charge...Mr Raab briefs media“our friend” and a “fighter”. He
said he was confident Mr Johnson,
55, was beating the virus that has
put him in intensive care at a
London hospital.
Foreign Secretary Mr Raab, who
is leading the nation in his role as
First Secretary of State, spoke amid
a national outpouring of support
for Mr Johnson as the UK saw 786
more coronavirus deaths.
He said the PM would soon be
“back at the helm” and ministers
were united in “calm determina-
tion” to carry out his plan to end
the health emergency.
Mr Raab said: “He’s not just the
Prime Minister, and for all of us in
Cabinet he’s not just our boss –
he’s also a colleague and he’s also
our friend.”
Downing Street confirmed last
night that Mr Johnson would be
spending another night in a critical
care ward at St Thomas’s Hospital.
A spokesman said: “The PrimeMessage from the
front line...George
Eliot team, left,
and nurse Michelle