Boris spent a long week in hospital critically ill with Covid as “terrified” pregnant fiancee Carrie braced for the worst

Standing in front of No 10 and clapping for the NHS, Boris Johnson’s exhaustion was plain to see.

Eyes tearing and brow glistening with sweat, the then Prime Minister, who had just been diagnosed with Covid, cut a worse figure – but was determined to join in the national thanksgiving.

In fact, he was more ill than anyone realized.

That night – April 2, 2020 – doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital in London were on standby to admit him at short notice.

Instead, he went ahead and resisted the idea of ​​hospitalization, fearing it might mean preferential treatment.

Standing in front of No 10 and clapping for the NHS, Boris Johnson’s exhaustion was plain to see

“It was this typical middle-aged English guy who didn’t want to make a fuss and assumed it would all go away,” one adviser recalled.

At the time, his then-fiancé Carrie Symonds, who was pregnant with their first child, was in isolation at her south London home.

Despite testing positive a week earlier and showing mild symptoms, Mr Johnson continued to work 15-hour days.

But after his brief television appearance, he agreed to go to bed. His condition deteriorated rapidly over the weekend.

Conscious but “very, very unwell,” he was rushed to St. Thomas on Sunday afternoon, April 5, and put on oxygen. The public was told it was a precautionary measure, but in reality he was seriously ill.

At 6pm Monday, the already panicked Carrie received a call from her doctors telling her she needed a ventilator.

Like the rest of the country, she knew that most Covid-19 patients admitted to intensive care could not be expected to survive.

As he fought for his life in intensive care Monday night, his cabinet and No. 10 officials were “preparing for the worst.” Carrie was also convinced that he was going to die.

As he fought for his life in intensive care Monday night, his cabinet and No. 10 officials were “preparing for the worst.” Carrie was also convinced that he was going to die

“It was one of those nights where it was really all about prayer,” said one official.

But after escaping death, Mr Johnson had a better night than expected and his temperature began to drop the next morning.

However, fearing he could “live the worst”, Downing Street staff had to endure a “terrible wait” before receiving twice-daily medical updates from the hospital transmitted through Ms Symonds.

He slowly showed signs of recovery on Tuesday and Wednesday as he responded to oxygen.

In the three nights before he was well enough to leave the unit on Thursday, his fiancée “never stopped crying.”

A friend said: “She was absolutely terrified … the whole thing was terrifying for her.”

But to their delight, Mr Johnson joined in the applause for healthcare workers again on Thursday at 8pm – this time from his hospital bed.

“I can’t thank them enough.” “I owe them my life,” he said. He left hospital on Sunday April 12 and continued his recovery at Checkers, the Prime Minister’s country home.