Boris Johnson says he owes his life to Britain's National Health Service

[dalton99a]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/04/12/coronavirus-latest-news/

4:38 a.m.
Boris Johnson says he owes his life to Britain’s National Health Service

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in his first remarks after leaving intensive care for covid-19 that he owes his life to the workers of Britain’s National Health Service (NHS), the state-run institution his Conservative Party has been accused of underfunding.

Johnson, 55, is perhaps the world’s highest-profile confirmed case of covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. His remarks, released in a statement by No. 10 Downing Street, led many to question whether the British government initially downplayed the severity of Johnson’s condition.

In the statement, Johnson, who in early March told the public he still was shaking hands, thanked the health workers of St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, where he spent three nights in intensive care. “I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “I owe them my life.”

Johnson remains in the hospital but no longer in intensive care. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab continues to deputize for Johnson while he recovers.

The details of Johnson’s eventual return to Downing Street remain unclear. In a daily coronavirus news briefing Saturday, Home Secretary Priti Patel said Johnson needed “time and space to rest, recuperate and recover.”

The news of Johnson’s exit from intensive care came as the British Health Ministry reported 917 new covid-19-related deaths on Saturday, bringing the total national death toll to 9,875.

On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth II delivered a special Easter message — her second public address in a week. “Coronavirus will not overcome us,” she said.

By James McAuley

[Thomas Hurt]

1. Wonder if the fascist is still so hot on the idea of just letting it sweep through the country...

[3Hotdogs]

2. -- or does he still promote, fucking over the N.H.S.?

[RussBLib]

3. Johnson gave a good address after getting out of the hospital; kudos for that.

And then I look at Trump.

[mwooldri]

4. Well, BoJo had better protect the NHS.

He said he would in the election, and he has witnessed personally what the NHS does day in and day out. He just might get re-elected in 5 years if he goes for a more "New Labour" type of policy approach. But then he still has that Brexit shit to deal with.

[enough]

5. He also specifically mentioned two particular non-UK nurses whom he credited with

making the difference between life and death for him, which seemed significant given the harsh anti-immigrant stance of his party.

[Grins]

6. But...but...but the NHS is..."Soshilism!" NM