mandi mimi hutrtf matt hancock was in home. today, matt hancock was in self isolation, he himself testing positive whilst away from whitehall and westminster for the period positive whilst away from whitehall and westminsterfor the period of the week. dominic cummings, the prime minister's chief adviser has beenin prime minister's chief adviser has been in self isolation, so have a number of other senior advisers as well. i think what is quite striking is that the coronavirus has had the capacity to cripple our economy, to rob us of so many liberties, but also to weaken the response of those charged with representing us all in terms of the national fight back against it. that clearly has been magnified tonight with the prime minister's admission to intensive care. it is certainly not discriminating when it comes to those people who suffer from or get the symptoms for it.

earlier, iain duncan smith were saying we should not read too much into this, we should stay calm when we hear about the prime minister being moved to intensive care, he is certain that the doctors have done this to make sure that they can stabilise completely, but of course this will be a difficult time for the whole country, we saw her majesty the queen's address last night, now the prime minister in intensive care, it is something that will come as a shock. absolutely, because i think, he is the prime minister, he personifies the national response to this crisis but i think what we are learning this evening rams home to anybody who might have still been relatively complacent about the potential severity of this virus exactly what it can do, because here is a man who is in his mid—sos, who as far as we know doesn't have any significant underlying health concerns who for a period of a week, as is standard for

those who develop the symptoms, was under the weather and had a temperature and a persistent cough, clearly u nco mforta ble temperature and a persistent cough, clearly uncomfortable and unpleasant but relatively generic symptoms that we will all be familiar with from various bugs and viruses we have had over our lives and yet, in the last 24 over our lives and yet, in the last 2a or 48 over our lives and yet, in the last 24 or 48 hours this significant deterioration. it is certainly sufficient enough to believe that is doctors said he needed to go into hospital and then tonight, the far more grave escalation which requires that he moves to intensive care and requiring him to do something which any prime minister, and particularly borisjohnson, i any prime minister, and particularly boris johnson, i suspect, any prime minister, and particularly borisjohnson, isuspect, as... prime ministers desire to do the job that they want to be doing because they want to be able to lead and particularly during a time of national crisis and he will have been intensively conscious that while he is suffering with the very condition that is sweeping the globe

and causing so much angst, anxiety and causing so much angst, anxiety and bereavement in so many different corners of the world, his principal job is trying to lead the country's fight back from it. so, having to reach that point where he had to accept the medical reality that dominic raab as first secretary of state... is not something he would have wa nted state... is not something he would have wanted to do lightly but it gives you strong indication of how gravely concerned he and his doctors must have been about his current state of health. yes, it is difficult to underplay it. thank you, chris. chris mason there, our political correspondent in westminster. the news for viewers just joining westminster. the news for viewers justjoining us, the prime minister has been moved into intensive care because his condition has worsened. we can cross over to speak to the financial times correspondent who joins us now. we don't have a huge amount of detail, fellows in on what you know. all we know at the moment

was that borisjohnson was taken into st thomas's hospital in london on sunday evening. previously, number ten had said that the prime minister was suffering from mild coronavirus symptoms. last night they said it was persistent coronavirus symptoms, that mr johnson had a high temperature and a cough and throughout the day we hadn't heard anything, the line from central government was that mr johnson was in charge from afar and that he was in contact with downing street, he had his ministerial red box with him and still had access to official papers so, until this evening, it was business as normal, that was a line from downing street. as we have now heard, the prime minister's condition to deteriorate this afternoon and at 7pm, that decision was made to move him to intensive care and i think as chris mason was just saying, this is intensive care and i think as chris mason wasjust saying, this is not intensive care and i think as chris mason was just saying, this is not a decision that will been taken lightly. mrjohnson will only have done this because it was on the order are medical advice and because

that was no other alternatives. this is obviously a serious situation and we have to think of mrjohnson, his partner and his family who will be thinking of him at this difficult time. of course, his partner is pregnant, it is a difficult situation. did you find it surprising though when we heard during the daily briefing that dominic rav hadn't been in touch with the prime minister since saturday. we are in an emergency scenario around the uk with this pandemic, the country is in lockdown and yet conversations wouldn't have before today's briefing with the effect of two of the highest people in this country. i think that was certainly the indication that things we re certainly the indication that things were worsening with mrjohnson‘s health of course, as you get with all the stories, there's been a huge amount of rumourand all the stories, there's been a huge amount of rumour and speculation about his health and journalists like myself have tried to stick to the fact as much as possible,

because of the seriousness of the situation. but one thing that i did hear later on this afternoon from downing street was that allies of mr johnson were saying that his workload had been scaled back quite significantly last week because, before he was admitted to hospital, he was in self isolation for ii before he was admitted to hospital, he was in self isolation for 11 days and during that period, he was still hosting the war cabinet meetings in the morning where senior ministers had been overseeing the country's approach to coronavirus, but when he got into hospital, obviously his workload had been scaled back once again andi workload had been scaled back once again and i think people in downing street were keen to say, look, the prime minister was trying to recover he wasn't being worked to the bone but obviously, he hasn't been prime minister that long and his instinct will have been to try and see the country through this difficult situation, i think that is why he didn't necessarily hand over to dominic raab straightaway, but he did that before going into intensive

ca re did that before going into intensive care and so the foreign secretary and a facto deputy prime minister is now in charge of the country, deputising for mrjohnson, while he focuses on his recovery, so we'll be seeing a lot of him in the coming days. i think the other three ministers who will lead the charge will be chancellor rishi sunak, matt hancock and michael gove, we have all seen those at the downing street press c0 nfe re nces , all seen those at the downing street press conferences, they are com pletely press conferences, they are completely on top of the government's response for their respective departments, they will continue on the trajectory set by mr johnson before he went into intensive care this evening. you touched upon those who will be continuing leading this country going forward, we set have as you say, a de facto deputy prior minister, he isn't actually a de fa cto minister, he isn't actually a de facto prime minister, dominic raab, the burden falls to him to lead us through the situation, when it comes

to the daily briefings we expect business to go on as usual, the lockdown to go on as usual, business as usual when it comes to the situation here in the united kingdom. yes, i think that is very much what the government wants to continue doing and today across whitehall, government departments have been continuing on the strategy set out by mrjohnson over the previous weeks, obviously the lockdown of the uk does continue, thatis lockdown of the uk does continue, that is up for review in the coming weekends and if mrjohnson is not well enough to make that decision by that point, then the government will have to decide among the cabinet, one would imagine as a collective decision about how and when that is going to continue. but i think, as i said, these four ministers who have been central to the government's coronavirus planning, each of their departments have a strategy, they know what needs to be done in terms of testing, ppe, the economy, procurement, all the areas covered by the four ministers, they will be the ones i think leading the downing

street press conference well mr johnson is focusing on his recovery, the officials are still working hard in downing street and it will continue on that trajectory. the question really gets to when we get toa question really gets to when we get to a crunch point about whether to change or phase out some of the lockdown measures. if mrjohnson isn't well enough to make that call, who will do it at that point? and i imagine, as you hinting at bare, deputy prime minister isn't a formal thing in the uk, we don't have a line of succession, it is not like the american constitution whether it isa the american constitution whether it is a very clear pecking order on who does what so i think that in that instance, dominic raab would have to work by cabinet consensus and agree with other ministers about what needs to be done instead of taking decisions on his own, that is if mr johnson is not well enough to return full—time to lead in the country. and just of stress, we don't know his exact condition but for the time being, the financial times's whitehall correspondent there, thank

you for speaking to us. various m essa 9 es you for speaking to us. various m essa g es of you for speaking to us. various messages of support are coming in, the french president immanuel macron is writing on social media, all my support to boris johnson is writing on social media, all my support to borisjohnson and his family, i hope he overcomes this ordeal quickly. somebody who knows borisjohnson very ordeal quickly. somebody who knows boris johnson very well is ordeal quickly. somebody who knows borisjohnson very well is the man who worked as director of external affairs when he was mayor of london, iam sure affairs when he was mayor of london, i am sure you join in with those appeals for support for boris johnson. just hours earlier on today, he was saying he was in good spirits. this must be a difficult time for him obviously but also at a moment where he wants to keep morale up. yes, i think there are two things that he brings to the party that nobody else can easily replicate. firstly, he likes to make big judgment calls and secondly that irrepressible energy and determination and impatience and unwillingness to accept that things

can't be done quicker or better than they are anti—clearly was trying to do that from his hospital bed so there has, tragically, been quite clearly a deterioration that is quite significant for him to now as i succumb to intensive care and deputised formally to the full foreign secretary. we know his work ethic, we know he is somebody who at all has been strong and in good health. of course, we wish him a speedy recovery but how frustrated you feel, do you think you must be feeling right now that he cannot lead from the front. you will be hugely frustrated, in the four years that i worked with him, i don't think he was ill once. he gets up very early, he goes to bed late if necessary , very early, he goes to bed late if necessary, he never stops reading, he certainly didn't stop thinking. i think what is clearly happening over the past few weeks is that there have been enormous decisions about lives and livelihoods, decisions

that have enormous economic consequences on the one hand, impact on lives and well—being on the other and he would have put himself last. he would have felt that the most important thing was that he was active and seem to lead from the front. he wouldn't of slept very well, he would have worked too hard and in the end, having got the virus, he barely caught her breath, he ploughed on trying to seem unbeaten from his isolation but clearly he didn't give his body a chance to fight this. and we are hearing dominic raab saying that they are getting on with all the plans that borisjohnson has instructed them to deliver to get them all implemented as soon as possible so still very much leaving instructions and telling people what to do, how to get through this difficult time for the entire country. yes and he will have made it very clear beforehand that he would not tolerate when he is fully backin would not tolerate when he is fully back in charge any sense that there had been a slowing down, that had

been a lack of urgency in getting the testing sorted out, in making sure that the preparation is as good as they are, in making sure things are communicated to the public. it is hard, we have got used to seeing scientists, we have got used to members of the cabinet who have excelled themselves of the last few weeks,... enormous character at the helm of government, like him or loathe him and they know him extremely well so it is hard for the whole machine to communicate as well and operate as well if the man at the top is not in charge. i am told that his hand is firmly on the tiller though, but everybody else must now be pulling the sheets and working the machinery of the boat.

should he have perhaps stepped aside oi’ should he have perhaps stepped aside orjust should he have perhaps stepped aside or just released that should he have perhaps stepped aside orjust released that tiller a little bit earlier in the case because he has been unwell and showing symptoms for over a week now. perhaps he should have focused on his recovery to get back to fighting fit, rather than continuing to keep our spirits up even though arguably the nation did need it. to keep our spirits up even though arguably the nation did need itm isa arguably the nation did need itm is a tough one, isn't it. imagine if he hadn't been on the steps of number ten on thursday applauding the nhs, it maybe would have been a wise thing to do, he look very well but then, in this climate, there are people who would have said that that was a snob and that he didn't care furordinary was a snob and that he didn't care fur ordinary workers. it is a brutal political environment and even without the negativity, i think he feels it is very important that he leads from the front and lead by example. i think one of the things he may, maybe should have done early and will have to do now is just to allow other people to chair the

meetings. the important thing is that he makes it clear to whoever is chairing the meeting what he wants the outcome to be, what he wants the meetings to achieve and that he doesn't want colleagues to fight amongst themselves. that is what happens in the end, you have a cabinet of equals apart from the prime minister who is the first among equals. so if you take the prime minister out,... sorry letters. . . prime minister out,... sorry letters... over the course of this afternoon, the prime minister's condition worsened and on the advice of health officials he was moved i see you. as you will know, he has been receiving excellent care at st thomas's hospital and we would like to take this opportunity as a government to thank nhs staff up and

down the country for all of their dedication, hard work and commitment in treating everyone who has been affected by this awful virus. green map with the prime minister now in intensive care, how worried should people be? intensive care, how worried should people be ? the intensive care, how worried should people be? the government will continue. the prime ministers in good hands at st thomas's hospital and the focus of the government will continue to be making sure that the plans to defeat coronavirus and pull the country through this challenge will be taken forward. are you confident that the government is under control tonight? there is an incredibly strong team spirit behind the prime minister in making sure that we get all the plans that the prime minister has instructed us to discover down or deliver... that was

a statement by the foreign minister dominic rav, in fact the man who is basically now in charge, saying that the prime minister is receiving excellent ca re, the prime minister is receiving excellent care, also adding that he is in safe hands and saying that the government is very much under control, saying that there is a strong team spirit behind the prime minister and that he has just, just confirming that he has been moved to a critical care unit, but that government business will continue with the prime minister being in the safe hands within a brilliant team, so safe hands within a brilliant team, so that is a statementjust coming literally into the bbc, that is why we had to cut the phone call off a little bit there but we did want to hear what dominic raab had to say there with this developing story that boris johnson there with this developing story that borisjohnson is in intensive care. the first secretary of state

just explaining that that's the prime minister is in safe hands and very much thanking all the staff there who are looking after boris johnson and all the nhs staff across the country who are looking after all of us when it comes to this difficult time under this pandemic of this virus that the prime minister has been showing symptoms of for the past ten or ii minister has been showing symptoms of for the past ten or 11 days. we saw him looking a little bit less than 100% during that nhs applause for key workers, for nhs staff on thursday. we heard him describing himself as being in good spirits earlier on today via social media, he described that he had been admitted to hospital on sunday evening because, for routine tests is how he described it on twitter, but now, of course, we are hearing that his condition has worsened and he is now in intensive care but as the first secretary of state was describing, he is in safe hands and he is receiving excellent care and

the government is under control, there is a strong team spirit and supporting the prime minister. a lot of m essa g es supporting the prime minister. a lot of messages of support coming in, let's us just remind you of the timeline of events. in march 26, it was announced at the prime minister had tested positive for coronavirus, on sunday, so just last night, had tested positive for coronavirus, on sunday, sojust last night, he was admitted to st thomas's hospital in london after his symptoms had persisted for ten days and this evening, we are hearing that it was announced that he has been moved to the intensive care unit after his symptoms had worsened. as we heard from the foreign minister, dominic raab, he is in excellent hands and receiving excellent care. the news of prime ministerjohnson in intensive care has shocked many across the world, many of his political colleagues have been sending him where she social media,

this is from scotland's first minister nicola sturgeon tweeting that, my thoughts are with the prime minister and his family, sending that, my thoughts are with the prime ministerand his family, sending him good wishes. the french president adding, all my support for boris johnson, his family and the british people at this time. he says that i wish him to overcome this ordeal quickly. and the leader of the opposition party, keir starmer, saying this is terribly bad news and his thoughts are with his family and the country at this time. and of course, his partner who is pregnant with his child. let us talk tojill rutter, i am sure you will be supporting the prime minister, joining those messages of support. when it comes to the machinations of government, we have the first

secretary of state, the de facto deputy prime minister now in charge. yes, one of the things to be said for this is that actually boris johnson helped us out by nominating dominic raab to stand in for him if that was needed, so that was sorted out in advance so we have not had to go through any jockeying out in advance so we have not had to go through anyjockeying for position or looking around between top members of the cabinet to look and feel take charge now. so, dominic rav is clearly the point man, he can chair the necessary meetings, chair cabinet if it meets and until the prime minister comes out of hospital, dominic raab will be coordinating the government's efforts. but as sebastien payne was saying in the earlier segment, what matters this week is delivery and that isn't a thing where you would expect the prime minister to be personally doing that, he would be holding people to account for what they were doing but people know what they were doing but people know what they have to do. there aren't big strategic decision to be made this

week. that starts to change when we get to questions like to be extend the lockdown, does it intensify or do we start actually trying to develop some sort of exit strategy. so, when it comes to the timing, are you suggesting, of course it is an awful thing to happen, but the timing is not necessarily the worst moment for this to happen and the prime minister can now focus on getting better and getting back to business. well, it is clearly an absolutely terrible thing to happen any time, i think where the prime minister should be able, he said, any time, i think where the prime ministershould be able, he said, i set their direction, we know it doing, the uk is in lockdown and thatis doing, the uk is in lockdown and that is being enforced and observed, we know we have set an ambitious target and testing for the end of the month, we are making arrangements, dominic raab his territory is getting people back of a stranded abroad, we are getting the nightingales hospitals, i don't

think this week is a big week for policy decisions and it is really, when you need the prime minister functioning properly, to be there and to engage with a substance that is when you have to make big trade—offs and choices because otherwise, it is quite difficult. we aren't a system where we have a pecking order of ministers, there is a prime minister and then the rest of the cabinet. and really, the prime minister, if for example the treasury and the health department had very different takes on the speed of exit and that is really where you need somebody who is not just prime minister in name only but really is the prime minister with a natural authority that boris johnson has from his winning the conservative leadership last summer and to his election victory in december. a huge majority and a huge personality, is that going to be

difficult whether it is dominic rav, is it going to be difficult whoever is it going to be difficult whoever is next, giving us press briefings, leading the country, how difficult is it to follow somebody who is so personality lead as borisjohnson? well what is critical at this moment is that the cabinet proves that without boris johnson is that the cabinet proves that without borisjohnson there to knock heads together and give them a lead, they are actually capable of working very well together. over the weekend, we saw some really un—edifying comments being made to sebastien, who you had on early and to other members of the press, so we had a lot a press briefing about infighting, at the centre and quite a lot of mudslinging and scapegoating. i think actually with the prime minister very ill in hospital, he is clearly very ill in hospital, he is clearly very ill in hospital, this is not the time for that, this is a time for the cabinet

to show that they are a bunch of grown—ups and to get their act together and show that actually, they are, they can actually manage things, not completely without boris johnson, they will want to have it back as soon as possible, but they don't require him there to be a functioning government and that they need to be able to do that collectively and you hope that this actually sends a very serious message, both about how serious coronaviruses, that it can affect the prime minister so badly, but also that everybody looking to the cabinet to give some real leadership here. thank you so much, jill rutter there, a former civil servant. we can also now speak to doctor sarah jarvis, a gp and director of clinical... this idea that the prime minister is now in intensive care,

what does that mean in terms of his condition medically? well, we don't know exactly how ill he is and there isa know exactly how ill he is and there is a broad spectrum but we do know that well he is on the ward, he will have been given oxygen through a mask or through a cannula through his nose and he might have been given something called continuous positive airways pressure, which basically means that the lungs are finding it difficult, they are inflamed, there is probably pneumonia, that may be something called pneumonitis which is inflammation of the lung tissue and what that means is that it is difficult for the lungs to absorb enough oxygen into the bloodstream to supply his vital organs. so, he will have been moved to intensive ca re will have been moved to intensive care when he can be monitored more closely. he will have a heart monitor on. as far as i'm aware, he has not yet been ventilated but if necessary , has not yet been ventilated but if necessary, a ventilator would be used to support his breathing and in

orderfor that to used to support his breathing and in order for that to happen, used to support his breathing and in orderfor that to happen, he used to support his breathing and in order for that to happen, he would need to be sedated. doctorjarvis, before we touch upon that, how quickly do something like this take place? what are the steps? because just this morning, we were reading tweets from the prime minister saying that his spirits up, he was receiving great care, he was continuing with that message of stay indoors, stale at home, save lives. is this something that can happen in such a short space of time? yes it is, it is one of the features that we hear regularly actually with this coronavirus. one of the reasons that we wa nt coronavirus. one of the reasons that we want people to be very aware of the red flags and worsening symptoms is precisely because, if the infection gets into the lungs, then that inflammation can be set up very quickly so for instance, if you go online and you are looking at either the nhs iii guideline or patient

access coronavirus, the symptom checker, what we recommend is that with any symptoms going through and you keep looking for that because there are certain key questions that you need to ask yourself. firstly, you need to ask yourself. firstly, you so short of breath that you can hardly speak a sentence without being short of breath, secondly, have you become so ill that you can't do anything you normally would, whether that is read a book, get out of bed, eat or look at your phone and indeed, in the prime minister's case, tweet. more importantly, has your breathing become worse in the last hour or so and that is a key feature where we recommend that people phone 999 precisely because this deterioration happened so quickly. with the work that takes place in i see you ——

intensive care... as the world continues with this pandemic, we are seeing potential signs of levels plateauing of new cases, but the pressure that we have seen in one of oui’ correspondence pressure that we have seen in one of our correspondence reports isjust absolutely intense, not least the amount of kit that they need to wear and the sheer number of people. the pressure is very intense throughout the nhs, right from primary care, where we have got to the stage that we can no longer see patients to walk into the surgery, you can't walk into the surgery, you can't walk into the practice any more and make an appointment, we are very much practising in a different way, patients are being asked to have telephone or video consultations and the vast majority of decisions are being made based on that. then, if you go to the a&e department, interestingly a lot of my a&e collea g u es interestingly a lot of my a&e colleagues say that there are fewer people nand, perhaps because more people nand, perhaps because more people are staying at home and there aren't as many road traffic

accidents, not as many people in the pubs and so on and so the people who are in there are much, much thicker, however. then you go on to the wards, the wards are overflowing and the majority of patients who are quite sick, many of them having this continuous positive airways pressure, they are having to be monitored very carefully and, of course, we have fewer staff available to do that because a significant number of nhs staff up to between one in ten and one in four nhs staff are off at any one time because they are self isolating. then, if you move into intensive care, we are not doing the routine surgery, even the majors surgery where they may need to be monitored in intensive care for a few days afterwards, the majority patients will be there and will be either on ventilation or acquiring very careful monitoring and of course, you have the added complication that it needs to be donein complication that it needs to be done in full protective equipment which is in short supply, not least

because people in intensive treatment units, have aerosol generated procedures, if somebody is having a tracheotomy put in, or if they are being intubated, then those procedures are where you need a full set of protective equipment. when it comes to symptoms, we hear about the fever, but we also hear about the fever, but we also hear about the fever, but we also hear about the coughing, the respiratory issues. but things like a loss of intensive taste or smell, are we to read too much into that? interestingly in the last few days, we had seen an apt developed where they saw that among those patients who had been diagnosed formally and been tested for coronavirus, three and five of them did complain of it loss of smell. but this is an

important caveat, the nhs said that on its own, it is not enough for us to say if you have a sense of smell lost without any other symptoms, you should consider having coronavirus. there's also diarrhoea. anything between one in ten patients in any study would get diarrhoea for a couple days before the developed symptoms. in another study, couple days before the developed symptoms. in anotherstudy, one couple days before the developed symptoms. in another study, one in five had gotten symptoms, one three was developing diarrhoea. there is a wide spectrum of symptoms, tiredness is very profound and people, some evidence that people have it in inflammation of the heart, they are much more at risk of having really serious convocations. there are all sorts of nuances. doctorjarvis, thank you so much. thank you so much for talking us through that, it is very crucial just to for talking us through that, it is very crucialjust to keep to the fa cts , very crucialjust to keep to the facts, and doctor jarvis very crucialjust to keep to the

facts, and doctorjarvis there with her expertise as a gp talking us through some of those symptoms. a line that is coming in from the bbc, her majesty the queen is being kept informed by downing street about prime minister boris johnson's condition, according to buckingham palace. just yesterday evening, the uk heard that address from her majesty the queen, and incredibly moving address which she touched upon how this country is pulling together and how she put the nuanced line of "we will meet again" after the lockdown takes place, this line coming into us that her majesty the queen is being informed by downing street about the prime minister's condition, and if we hear anything more from buckingham palace, of course we will bring that to you. just a reminder to everybody that the pregnant dashed british pie minister has been moved into intensive care following a worsening

condition dashed british prime minister. we don't know many more details than that, that is the situation at the moment. messages are being posted for the prime minister around the world. david cameron writes... in france, the french president tweets... we translate it for you, "all my support for borisjohnson, his family and the british people at this difficult time, i wish him to ove rco m e this difficult time, i wish him to overcome this ordeal quickly." ivanka trump, daughter of donald trump adding to the tweets, saying... just a number of the responses, the tweets of support coming from the international community from members of the

international community, adding their support and good wishes, sending their good wishes to the prime minister, who is currently in intensive care in a hospital in london. the foreign secretary dominic raab has been designated to act in boris johnson's dominic raab has been designated to act in borisjohnson's place, and just a short time ago he spoke to the bbc‘s political editor, laura kuenssberg. since sunday, the prime minister has been under the medical ca re minister has been under the medical care at st. thomas is hospital after he was admitted with a persistent coronavirus symptoms. this afternoon the prime minister's condition worsened, and all the advice of the medical team who is moved into a critical care unit, in light of those circumstances, the prime minister asked me as first secretary to deputize for him when necessary and driving forward the government's plans to defeat coronavirus. and as you will know, he has been receiving excellent ca re you will know, he has been receiving excellent care at st. thomas hospital. we would like to take this

opportunity as a government to thank nhs staff up and down the country for all their dedication, hard work, and commitment in treating everyone who's been affected by this awful virus. with the prime minister now in intensive care, this is an extremely dangerous situation. how worried should people be about his health and the situation was a live government business will continue. the prime minister is in safe hands, with a brilliant team at the hospital. the focus of the government will continue to be making sure the prime minister's direction, all the plans for making sure we can defeat coronavirus and pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward. but are you confident that the government is under control tonight? there is an incredibly strong team spirit behind the prime minister, making sure that we get all the plans the time her prime minister... that is the way that will bring the whole country through the

coronavirus. just reiterating that the premise minister is in safe hands, he's been receiving excellent care, and the government is very much under control and there is a strong team spirit right now behind the prime minister as he gets treatment in intensive care for coronavirus. let's cross over to professor derrick hill, a professor of medical imaging. thank you so much for speaking to us. when somebody goes into intensive care, when a patient goes and i see you, explain to us what happens? one of the most important things that previous ——presenters—— have been discussing is that people very often with covid—i9 had... so they can have support breathing. that is a whole spectrum of support, some of

which can be outside intensive care like breathing from an oxygen mask. but if you need to be put into a more advanced form of breathing support, then you would previously need to be in intensive care. we'll be in understand at the moment is of the prime minister has been having breathing support through a special type of mask attached to a ventilator. he has not been intubated for some i'm not sure what sort of ventilator he was on, because there are dedicated cpap machines as well as actual cpap ventilators that support invasive infections... apologies interrupt, i'm just stressing that we don't know exactly what the help is that the prime minister is getting. we simply cannot state categorically that he is being given help when it comes to breathing difficulties. all

we know is that his condition has worsened and he is now in intensive care. just a caveat to what you are saying. i'm sorry, ithoughtl care. just a caveat to what you are saying. i'm sorry, ithought i would make clear that the reason people are make clear that the reason people a re often make clear that the reason people are often admitted is because of difficulty breathing. we think it is likely based on what has been said. what sort of breathing he's been having, there's a whole spectrum. that includes when he is basically breathing, the machine creating pressure through invasive ventilation which we don't think he is on at the moment, he would be sedated and paralysed, the machine would do all the breathing for him. and there is a spectrum between that. more sophisticated ventilators like you have in icu, what they can do is provide breathing support. so you can be starting to take the breath yourself, and the machine will finish the breathing or help you breathe. it can add more oxygen

to when you breathe. so we can help you manage that kind of process where you might sometimes need com plete where you might sometimes need complete help breathing, and other times you can initiate breaths yourself. that is the kind of nature that sophisticated ventilators like at st thomas' hospital. when i think you so much for talking us through that. one aspect you've noticed is that. one aspect you've noticed is that more men become more seriously ill that women. is there reasoning behind that? i think the data shows that very clearly, the data that came outjust that very clearly, the data that came out just a that very clearly, the data that came outjust a few days ago from the uk, the first 2600 patients that went into critical care went into intensive care in england, wales, and northern ireland. that told us, nearly three quarters were man. particularly that is the case in the

over 40s, the data seems to suggest that of those people who need critical care, need help breathing, that would be predominantly men. that pattern has been the case in other countries, as well. even a slightly higher percentage and recent figures i saw in italy. but i don't think people yet are sure why, i think there are various theories put about that i think we're still for data to really explain why it is this particularly affects man. what people compare it to is what you would call a viral pneumonia. for example, from the flu. so if you look at people who have had similar problems with breathing due to other viruses, not covid—i9 by other viruses, not covid—i9 by other viruses, then a few more men than women need the critical care treatment. but with covid—i9, it is overwhelmingly, three quarters of people in the uk, slightly more in

italy, men needed this critical care. when you cash it, for some people, the symptoms are almost unnoticeable and some people, other people suffer so intensely. i'm thinking along this line of viral load, how much of it are you exposed to if it is a larger amount of this invited to make a virus, the intensity you experience it will inevitably be worse? that is certainly one of the theories why so many health care workers, who are otherwise young and fit, got covid—i9 quite badly. for example, if you are intubated, if you are treating somebody onto one of these ventilators, putting a tube down their windpipe, you can get exposed, a very high exposure from that virus. just having people on other breathing support to end up spreading virus around, staff in

close proximity can get exposed to the virus. of course if they are wearing good protective clothing, then that is fine, as sometimes has been happening, there is not enough high—quality ppe, personal protective equipment — then you can be exposed and it does seem that that high exposure increases your chances of getting seriously ill. it is safe to say there are lots of aspects why people develop serious symptoms when others don't that aren't yet fully understood. there isa number of aren't yet fully understood. there is a number of risk factors, but it is a number of risk factors, but it is not just is a number of risk factors, but it is notjust yet evidence of causality. i think that would this is the reason why certain types of people get seriously ill and others don't. part of it is just luck. on that note, think you so much, professor hill from university couegein

much, professor hill from university college in london, lots of people wishing their solidarity and good wishes for a speedy recovery for the prime minister. the spanish premise are among those adding to those, saying that these are difficult days for our countries, but through strength and unity we will win this battle. he adds an embrace to the british people. so the spanish prime minister adding to the many voices wishing the british prime minister a speedy recovery. he is of course in intensive care at the moment after being admitted earlier on today. let's hear the reaction from conservative mp... janik boris has been working heroically over the last the last few days despite his deteriorating condition. he is an extraordinary man and i'm sure he will pull through from this. extraordinary man and i'm sure he will pull through from thism devastating that he's deteriorated to the point where he now has to go to the point where he now has to go to intensive care. but i don't think we should jump to any conclusions, i suspect doctors will want to monitor

him closely in a way that it's really only possible in the icu. i know he's in the best of hands at st thomas' hospital, and of course we all wish him well for a speedy recovery. absolutely crucial there to just reiterate that we don't know the exact condition, we just know the exact condition, we just know the prime minister's condition has worsened and on the advice of his medical team, he's been moved to the intensive care unit at the hospital. of course he's been suffering from these symptoms for the last ten days. when it comes to looking towards the governing of this country, when it comes to the possibility that the prime minister should have stepped away a little bit earlier so he could concentrate on his recuperation, because we saw that he wasn't feeling great even on thursday when that nhs clap around for the key workers was taking place

— should he have perhapsjust focused on getting match fit? that is not the nature of the man. he's a selfless individual with a very sense of public service. so it would not i think be in his nature to step back. he has been running things, albeit from his sick bed. clearly thatis albeit from his sick bed. clearly that is no longer going to be possible in the immediate term. and there is a structure in place to deal with that contingency, there a lwa ys deal with that contingency, there always is. and that will now take effect. doctor morrison, with the m essa g es we effect. doctor morrison, with the messages we are hearing to stay indoors, i touched upon this already but it goes to show that this disease does not discriminate in any way, shape or form. of course it doesn't, but i think boris would wa nt doesn't, but i think boris would want the message to go out as we approach the easter weekend, with probably some good weather — we need

to stay indoors. we need to socially isolate, we need to wash our hands, all of those simple messages, we have to do in order to prevent this virus being transmitted in order to save lives, and it is vitally important in order to do that. save lives, and it is vitally important in order to do thatm the message clear enough? are the instructions for this lockdown clear enough? we still hear people asking if they can go outside for a while, how long can the wall the? do we need more precise measures? many people are experiencing difficulties —no people are experiencing difficulties — no gardens, no outside space, children in the house, it is not easy. but do the guidelines need to be just that little more precise?“ incredibly difficult, but i must say from my own observation, i think most people are using their common sense. i've been struck when i've been out on my mandated walk a day at how well people are distancing

themselves. so i think the vast majority of people are doing that. of course we are in uncharted waters, we've not been here before. and i think people do have an element of confusion, of course they do. i must say the government advice on the website is pretty comprehensive, and i think it gives people the guns they need on how to conduct themselves over the next seven days. —— guidance they need. washing hands, we keep hearing that. but when it comes to symptoms, anything that we see or feel, is there something we should be looking out for? the online111 there something we should be looking out for? the online 111 tool is extremely useful. it has been set up to deal with this, and i would refer people to that. what we must not do is overburden our national health service because we need to make sure

it is there for those who are sickest, and also for those who have conditions quite apart from coronavirus. so we do need to protect the nhs as well as our own lives, so that is widely important. the one important thing is to stay at home. if we do that, we will flatten that curve and be sure to protect our national health service and save lives. that was a conservative mp doctor andrew morrison, himself a doctor, hence those medical questions, speaking to me shortly after we initially heard the news that the british prime minister borisjohnson the news that the british prime minister boris johnson has the news that the british prime minister borisjohnson has been moved into an intensive care unit. the foreign secretary dominic raab has been designated to act in johnson's place, a short time ago he spoke to laura kuenssberg. since sunday, the prime minister has been under the medical care of the team at st thomas' hospital after he was admitted with coronavirus symptoms

during the course of this afternoon. the prime minister's condition worsened, and on the advice of the medical team who has moved into a critical care unit. in light of those circumstances, the premise are asked me as press secretary to deputize when necessary in driving forward the government's plans to defeat coronavirus. as you will know, he's been receiving excellent ca re know, he's been receiving excellent care at st thomas' hospital. and we like to take this opportunity as a government to think nhs staff up and down the country for all their dedication, hard work and commitment in treating everyone who has been affected by this awful virus. with the prime minister now in intensive care, this is obviously an extreme a serious situation. how worried should people be about his health? the government business will continue, the prime minister is in safe hands with a brilliant team at st thomas' hospital. the focus of the government will continue to be about making sure the prime

minister's plans for making sure we can defeat the coronavirus and pull the country through this challenge will be taken forward. are you confident that the government is under control tonight? there is an incredibly strong team spirit behind pond minister in making sure that we get all the plants the prime minister has instructed us to deliver it to get them ready as soon as possible. that is the way we will bring the whole country through the coronavirus challenge that we face today. dominic raab giving an interview to laura kuenssberg, just reiterating that the prime minister is in safe hands and he is receiving excellent ca re, is in safe hands and he is receiving excellent care, that the government is under control and there is a strong team spirit behind the prime minister. let's talk to doctor ron daniels, who speaks to us from an icu unit, his hospital in birmingham. when somebody goes into

intensive care, in layman terms, why do they need to go in there if they have coronavirus symptoms? during this process, people are admitted to intensive care mindedly for advanced reading support. so typically people would be considered were already on a ventilator, having their breathing assisted. whether that is the case with the premise or or not, i don't know. we also offer advanced monitoring, continuous monitoring as the patient‘s vital signs, and we can... some people with covid—i9 have problems with kidneys and circulation. we must stress that we simple he don't know the condition of the prime minister, all we know is his condition had worsened, hence the decision to move him to intensive care. we know that you yourself have been self isolating, it is great to see you now back on the front line at work. when you feel those symptoms, what are they like? how do you know that this is

coronavirus rather than just the flu ora bug? coronavirus rather than just the flu or a bug? you don't, they are highly variable. but we must be conscious that covid—i9 is becoming very prevalent in our community. so if we start to develop symptoms, be it a cough — it is important to remember is not just a cough — it is important to remember is notjust a drive cough, dust dry cough. if you feel breathless and have a fever, if you feel very, very tired. particularly lost of taste and smell are some common symptoms. other people suffer diarrhoea. if we are feeling unwell and something doesn't feel quite right, it is important we self—isolate and be prepared to ask for help if it gets worse. would any of those difficulty in breathing, but they come into play early on? not normally. normally with a cold, we might have a cough. we might not normally feel short of breath. i tested positive over the weekend, this time last

week i was feeling really short of breath and difficult to climb up a flight breath and difficult to climb up a flight of stairs. that's unusual with a normal cold. so there symptoms that just seem with a normal cold. so there symptoms thatjust seem strange, and i think if we are not happy, if we have symptoms we've not experienced before, is important we think covid—i9 and self—isolate. but again, don't sit at home getting worse. if you are really struggling to breathe, you can't complete the most basic tasks, for help. and in a word, your advice is to stay home? absolutely, stay at home. this is not a hard task and it will save lives. thank you so much for taking the time out, doctor. i heard your pager going off so i know you will be busy. we hear that the prime minister borisjohnson be busy. we hear that the prime minister boris johnson is be busy. we hear that the prime minister borisjohnson is now in intensive care. his condition had worsened, you're watching bbc news.

ina worsened, you're watching bbc news. in a moment, huw edwards will be here with the bbc news at ten. a little earlier, i spoke to somebody who knows borisjohnson well, she worked as director of external affairs for worked as director of external affairs foer worked as director of external affairs for mrjohnson when he was there a micra of london. there's two things he brings to the party no one can easily replicate. he makes the big judgement calls, but it is also that irrepressible energy and determination, and in patients —— patients... he clearly was trying to do that, even from his hospital bed. so tragically there has been quite clearly a deterioration that is quite significant for him to now succumb to in intensive care and have to deputize formally to the foreign secretary. we know his huge work ethic, we know he is somebody who has already been strong in good

health. we wish him a speedy recovery, but how frustrated you feel? do you think he must be feeling right now that he cannot leave lead casilla i work with him forfour leave lead casilla i work with him for four years, leave lead casilla i work with him forfour years, i don't think he leave lead casilla i work with him for four years, i don't think he was ill once. he gets up really early, goes to bed late if necessary. i think what has clearly happen in the last few weeks, there have been an enormous decisions about lives and livelihoods, decisions that have an enormous economic consequences on one hand, impacts on the lives and our well—being on the other. and he would've put himself last there, the important thing is he was seen to lead from the front and he would not have slept very well, he would have been working too hard, and in the end having gotten the virus, he barely caught his breath, he ploughed on trying to seem upbeat from his isolation, but clearly he didn't give his body a chance to

fight this. we are hearing dominic raab say that they are getting on with all the plans that boris johnson has instructed them to deliver to get them implemented as soon as possible. so still very much leaving instructions and telling people what to do, how to get through this difficult time for the entire country. yes, he would've made it very clear that he would not tolerate when he is fully back in charge and he sensed that there had been a slowing down, a lack of urgency in getting the testing sorted out, making sure that preparations were as good as they were, making sure that he's communicated to the public. it is hard, we've gotten so used to seeing scientists and certain members of the cabinet who've excelled themselves over the last few weeks. but in the end this is an extremely personal sort of leadership at the

helm of british government at the moment, with an enormous character that people like or loathe, but they know him very well. so it is extremely hard for if the whole machine to communicate and operate as well if the man at the top is not in charge. i was told earlier that his hand is firmly on the tiller. everyone knows to use that saying, which way the boat is meant to go, everybody else will now put be working on the ministry of the book. should he have perhaps stepped aside or released that tiller a little earlier? because he has been unwell, showing symptoms for over a week now. perhaps you should have focused on his recovery to get back —— he should have focused on his recovery to fighting fit rather than keeping our spirits to fighting fit rather than keeping ourspirits up, to fighting fit rather than keeping our spirits up, arguably even though the country needed it? is a really

tough one, imagine if he had not been on the steps of number ten on thursday clapping for the nhs. it may be would have been a wise thing to do, he didn't look very well. in this climate, there are those who said that was a plus to make it as a brutal political environment these days, and even without the negativity, i guess he feels it is important to lead by example from the front. one of the things he may be should have done earlier, and he will have to do that now, is to let other people chair the meetings. the important things is, what does he wa nt important things is, what does he want the outcome to be and what does he want the meeting to achieve, and make very clear that he doesn't want collea g u es make very clear that he doesn't want colleagues fighting amongst themselves? that is the problem in themselves? that is the problem in the end, you have a cabinet of equals apart from one figure who is the prime minister who is the first among equals.

tonight at ten, the prime minister boris johnson has been taken to intensive care, as he suffers the effects of coronavirus. it's ten days since the prime minister tested positive. he was admitted to hospital last night, and was said to be in good spirits. but his medical team at st thomas's hospital say his condition worsened today, so the foreign secretary has been asked to deputise for him. he's been receiving excellent care at st thomas' hospital. we'd like to take this opportunity as a government to thank nhs staff up and down the country for all of their dedication, hard work and commitment in treating everyone who has been affected by this awful virus. as the government battles the coronavirus on behalf of the

country, the prime minister is