UK PM Boris Johnson reveals doctors had contingency plan if he died of Covid-19
London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed for the first time on Sunday that there were "contingency plans" in place in case things went badly wrong and he died during his treatment for COVID-19 in a hospital here last month.
The 55-year-old leader, who returned to work at 10 Downing Street after his recovery last week, told The Sun On Sunday' that he was given "litres and litres of oxygen" after going into intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital on April 7.
"It was a tough old moment, I won't deny it. They had a strategy to deal with a 'death of Stalin'-type scenario, he told the newspaper. "I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place.
The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do if things went badly wrong. They gave me a face mask so I got litres and litres of oxygen and for a long time I had that and the little nose jobbie," he said as the country reported over 28,000 deaths due to the coronavirus outbreak as on Saturday.
The interview comes a day after his fianc e Carrie Symonds shared a picture on Instagram with the couple's newborn son, who they have named Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson with the name Nicholas chosen in a nod to the two doctors who saved the British premier's life.
Johnson admitted that he was "in denial" about how serious his condition was after testing positive for coronavirus and that he really did not want to go to hospital.
I said I really didn't want to go into hospital. It didn't seem to me to be a good move but they were pretty adamant. Looking back, they were right to force me to go," he said.
It was hard to believe that in just a few days my health had deteriorated to this extent. I remember feeling frustrated. I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting better," he said during an emotional interview from the Downing Street.
But the bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe. That was when it got a bit they were starting to think about how to handle it presentationally."
In reference to his time in intensive care, he added: "Because the bloody indicators kept going in the wrong direction and I thought, 'There's no medicine for this thing and there's no cure'. That was the stage when I was thinking, 'How am I going to get out of this?'"
Johnson admits he was coming to terms - probably for the first time - with his own mortality. He had been in hospital several times before, usually with rugby injuries, but nothing quite like this.
He said: I've broken my nose, I've broken my finger, I've broken my wrist, I've broken my rib. I've broken just about everything. I've broken all sorts of things, several times in some cases. But I've never had anything as serious as this.
Johnson had been diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 26 and was admitted to the hospital 10 days later. The following day, he was moved to intensive care.
He said his recovery was due to the "wonderful, wonderful nursing" and felt "lucky" to have come out of the deadly disease, given so many others were still suffering.
"And so if you ask me, 'Am I driven by a desire to stop other people suffering?' Yes, I absolutely am. But I am also driven by an overwhelming desire to get our country as a whole back on its feet, healthy again, going forward in a way that we can and I'm very confident we'll get there," he said.
The prime minister is expected to unveil the UK's approach to tackling "phase two" of the virus now the peak of infections has passed and lay out a comprehensive plan for unlocking the economy.
So far, over 28,000 COVID-19 related deaths have been registered in hospitals and the wider community across the UK, which remains under strict social distancing lockdown measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
No objection to action against grandson if he is found guilty: Deve Gowda on sexual abuse case
Bengaluru (PTI): JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda, who turned 92 on Saturday, broke his silence over the sexual abuse charges levelled against his grandson and MP Prajwal Revanna and said he has no objection to the action taken against him if found guilty.
However, he said the cases against his son and JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual harassment and kidnap of a woman, were "created", but refrained from commenting further, as the matter was subjudice.
Recently, Gowda had announced his decision not to celebrate his birthday and requested well wishers and party workers to wish him from wherever they are.
"... I don't want to comment on things that are going on in the court regarding Revanna. Prajwal Revanna has gone abroad, regarding that Kumaraswamy (Gowda's other son and state JD(S) chief) has on behalf of our family said it is the duty of the government to take action in accordance with the law of the land," Gowda said.
Addressing reporters here, the former PM said, "There are several people connected to this (sexual abuse cases), I don't want to take anyone's names. Kumaraswamy has said that those who are involved in this matter, action should be taken against all of them, and the affected women should get justice and compensation."
"There is no objection from us for taking action against Prajwal. But people have come to know (facts) about the allegations made against Revanna, how the case has been created. In one case he has got the bail, in another case there is judgment day-after-tomorrow...I don't want to comment on it," he said as he concurred with Kumaraswamy's statement that if found guilty no one should be spared.
Prajwal (33) is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.
Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against him, in an effort to bring him back.
He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls on April 26.
Meanwhile, Gowda's 66-year-old son, Revanna, a former Minister, has got interim anticipatory bail from a court here, in a sexual harassment case, in which his son Prajwal is also an accused.
Asked whether there was a conspiracy to defame and scuttle his family politically, Gowda said, "It is true... over all what all has happened, several people are involved, I won't take names. Kumaraswamy will say on what action to be taken."
Responding to a query on BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda's allegations that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is behind the circulation of pen drive containing explicit videos involving Prajwal Revanna, Gowda said, Kumaraswamy will respond to all of this.
"We have seen in the media as to what Devaraje Gowda has said. Kumaraswamy has been reacting to all this actively as the party's state President, he will speak, I won't at this point. I had campaigned for Lok Sabha polls, on June 4 after Lok Sabha polls results are announced, I will meet you (media)," he added.
Gowda also appealed to media persons campaign near his house to end it. "I also appeal to your owners."
