Two Nicks had to give Prime Minister ‘litres of oxygen’
BORIS Johnson last night revealed how doctors began making preparations to announce his death as he battled coronavirus.
Mr Johnson said he was given “litres and litres of oxygen” by medics to keep him alive while in intensive care at London’s St Thomas’ Hospital.
The Prime Minister told The Sun on “It was a tough old moment, I won’t deny it. They had a strategy to deal with a ‘death of Stalin’-type scenario.
“I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place.”
It came as two doctors who saved Mr Johnson’s life said they were “humbled and honoured” at being recognised in the naming of the Prime Minister’s son.
Dr Nick Price and Prof Nick Hart, of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust, were working 18-hour days treating Covid-19 patients for weeks before they treated Mr Johnson.
“Our warm congratulations go to the Prime Minister and Carrie Symonds on the happy arrival of their beautiful son Wilfred,” said the two medical directors in a statement. “We are honoured and humbled to have been recognised in this way, and we give our thanks to the incredible team of professionals who we work with at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and who ensure every patient receives the best care.
“We wish the new family every health and happiness.”
Prof Hart, director of the Lane Fox Respiratory Service at Guy’s and St Thomas’, is one of the most experienced specialists in treating patients with chronic respiratory failure.
Three weeks before Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital, Prof Hart, who lives with his wife in west London, had pleaded with the public to stay indoors as Guy’s and St Thomas’ saw a sharp rise in patients.
“A plea for help,” he tweeted. “I have been working for 18 hours a day, like many others, to ensure we can protect all our patients and all our fabulous NHS team.”
A week before Mr Johnson was admitted on April 5, Prof Hart tweeted that Covid-19 was “this generation’s polio”.
Coronavirus, he said, “is a serious illness and I want everyone to take care and stay safe and this requires for you to please stay inside”.
As well as his current front-line role, he is a professor of respiratory and critical care medicine at King’s College London, a director of research and development delivery at his foundation trust and a joint editor-in-chief for the Thorax medical journal.
Dr Price, meanwhile, is a leading specialist in infectious diseases, general medicine, tuberculosis and tropical medicine.