British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is out of the hospital exactly one week after he was admitted with the coronavirus.
Johnson, 55, was released from St. Thomas’ Hospital in London on Sunday and will continue to recover from the illness at his country house. The prime minister is expected to be able to return to work soon and will help decide when to ease the country’s strict lockdown.
“On the advice of his medical team, the P.M. will not be immediately returning to work,” the government said in a statement. “He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas’ for the brilliant care he has received.”
“I can’t thank them enough. I owe them my life,” Johnson said in his first public statement since he was moved out of intensive care.
“It’s hard to find words to express my debt,” the prime minister added in a video posted to Twitter. “I want to thank everyone in the entire U.K. for the effort and the sacrifice you have made and are making.”
He went on to thank U.K. residents for continuing to social distance during the pandemic.
“I want you to know that this Easter Sunday, I do believe your efforts are worth it and are daily proving their worth,” Johnson continued. “Though the struggle is by no means over, we are making progress in this incredible national battle against coronavirus.”
He also singled out individual nurses who helped him and stood by his bedside while he was in the intensive care unit and “when things could have gone either way.”
“Stay at home, protect our NHS, and save lives,” the prime minister concluded.
It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS for saving my life.
The efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it. Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/HK7Ch8BMB5
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 12, 2020
Johnson had been hospitalized on April 5 after being previously diagnosed with the coronavirus. While at the hospital, the prime minister was moved to the ICU for three days as his condition worsened. He was discharged from the ICU on Thursday after being treated with oxygen.
While Johnson was hospitalized during the lockdown, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was temporarily deputized to lead the British government “where necessary.” Although Johnson will soon be well enough to make government decisions, he will likely need a period of recovery.
“He has to take time,” the prime minister’s father, Stanley Johnson, said on Friday. “I cannot believe you can walk away from this and get straight back to Downing Street and pick up the reins without a period of readjustment.”
There have been almost 80,000 infections in the United Kingdom and more than 9,890 deaths, according to the latest reading by Johns Hopkins University.
