British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (55) has been in the intensive care unit since yesterday evening. Where he was admitted on Sunday “as a precaution” and with mild symptoms of the coronavirus, his condition has deteriorated.
The British are concerned about their prime minister. Is that justified? Correspondent Lia van Bekhoven calls the situation “worrying”. A spokesman softens that but says that Minister Dominic Raab will temporarily replace Johnson.
To reassure everyone a bit, Johnson’s spokesperson has announced that the prime minister is not on a ventilator and conscious. In other words, he has not been put into an artificial coma.
However, many questions arise in the United Kingdom. The prime minister tested positive for corona eleven days ago, has since been quarantined and kept working. He hammered at the “mild” symptoms he had.
So it is more severe than first thought, but the prime minister’s spokesman was optimistic this afternoon. According to him, the prime minister had a good night. He is being given oxygen, but would not need help for breathing. So Johnson is not on some sort of ventilator.
The spokesman also said that Johnson would remain in office as prime minister. However, he will be temporarily replaced by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dominic Raab at the national security committee that fights the epidemic. Should it disappear, Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is next in line.
A substitute, however, has limited influence; for example, he will not be able to appoint or dismiss ministers. The audience with Queen Elizabeth II drops out, but the queen is kept closely informed through high officials.
London does not want to say anything about the procedure for British nuclear weapons. In principle, only the Prime Minister can have the 120 operational atomic missiles launched on submarines.
