Boris Johnson isn’t taking phone calls as he continues to recover at Chequers

The prime minister is not working as he continues his recovery from coronavirus.

The prime minister is not working as he continues his recovery from coronavirus at Chequers.

Downing Street said Boris Johnson was not involved in making decisions, taking phone calls or receiving official papers in his ministerial red boxes.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘The priority is for the PM to rest and recover and his medical team have advised him not to immediately return to work.’

Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital on April 5 with ‘persistent coronavirus symptoms’ after testing positive for Covid-19 at the end of March.

He was then moved to intensive care April 6, but was taken back to a general ward last Thursday.

After he was discharged, a spokesman said: ‘The PM has been discharged from hospital to continue his recovery, at Chequers.

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‘On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work.

‘He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas’ for the brilliant care he has received. All of his thoughts are with those affected by this illness.’

While in hospital he was described as being in ‘high spirits’ by a Downing Street spokesperson, and was said to be boosted by a letter from his partner Carrie Symonds, who is expecting the couple’s first child.

Ms Symonds said in a statement today that she ‘cannot thank our magnificent NHS enough’ for helping Johnson.

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

She continued: ‘The staff at St Thomas’ Hospital have been incredible. I will never, ever be able to repay you and I will never stop thanking you.’

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s chief aide Dominic Cummings is back in Downing Street after recovering from coronavirus symptoms.

Number 10 was questioned about why Mr Cummings did not appear to be maintaining a two-metre gap from fellow aide Cleo Watson.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘He is back in Number 10 and working today.’

The spokesman said ‘everybody in Number 10 continues to practice social distancing, which means staying two metres apart wherever possible’.

Downing Street rejected suggestions that care home residents and staff were being treated as ‘second class citizens’ during the outbreak.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘I don’t accept that at all. We are working around the clock to ensure that every vulnerable person – young or old – gets the support they need during this crisis.

‘In terms of care homes, testing takes place where there is a clinical need. We are prioritising testing for social care staff wherever possible.

‘We have delivered 7.8 million pieces of PPE to over 26,000 care settings, no wholesaler is prioritising the NHS over the care sector.’

The Government was also continuing to work with the Office for National Statistics on the data on death rates in care homes.

‘We continue to work with the ONS to provide the best possible statistics in order to improve our understanding of the death rate in all settings,’ the spokesman said.

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