Reality of what Boris Johnson faces in ICU laid bare as PM battles coronavirus

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson is battling coronavirus in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

The 55-year-old was taken to hospital on Sunday, 10 days after he was first diagnosed with the deadly Covid-19.

He initially insisted he was suffering from mild symptoms but seven days after he announced he had the virus, the PM still had a high temperature.

Boris’s cabinet stressed he was still well enough to run the country and in yesterday’s coronavirus press briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the PM was in “good spirits”.

But later that day Boris was transferred to intensive care so he could be closer to ventilators, although is said to not yet be using one.

Boris Johnson reportedly needed four litres of oxygen and specialist breathing aids as he continues his battle against coronavirus.

Mr Johnson could also have blood and samples from his throat collected according to guidance issued to doctor sfighting Covid-19 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last month.

Well wishes for the PM has poured in from both sides of the political spectrum and the Queen is said to be being kept informed about Boris’s condition.

The leader of the country will be fighting his coronavirus alone as friends, family and loved ones are banned from visiting people suffering from Covid-19 because it is so infectious.

Across Britain intensive care units are working round the clock to cope with the number of critically ill patients being admitted with coronavirus.

Staff all have to wear full public protection equipment, including gowns, respirator masks, gloves and goggles, in a bid to protect them from Covid-19.

Dr David Hepburn, ICU Consultant at Royal Gwent Hospital in Wales, explained: “It’s hard to identify which staff members are which so we’ve taken to writing our names and roles not the front of the gowns so we can identify people.”

Many ICU’s have already reached full capacity with other hospital wards converted into treatment areas for the most seriously ill.

Every bed is filled in intensive care wards around the country and almost all of the patients are on ventilators and unconscious.

Dr Hepburn said: “We were led to believe this was much more dangerous to older people but all the patients we have in intensive care are 50 or younger.

“It surprised us, our youngest patient is early 20s. A lot of patients are very healthy, one is a personal fitness trainer, there are a lot of patients who don’t have pre-existing medical conditions.

“The patients themselves are on the whole unconscious and put to sleep for their own comfort.

“We anaesthetise people on ventilators because on the whole it’s very unpleasant having  foot long plastic tube in your mouth, down your tongue and into your upper airways so most people will need some sort of sedation to tolerate that.”

For staff, the work is relentless in uncomfortable PPE kit, which can be extremely hot and sweaty.

One nurse said: “Everyone is developing facial pressure sores and peeling skin from the personal protection equipment, such as masks. Hands are cracked and bleeding, sore and sweaty feet, the list goes on.

One ICU nurse described wards and like working in war time.

She said: “It feels like what I’d imagine it feels like in a war zone – without the sound of bombs and firearms going off. It’s something only ever seen in Hollywood.

“Some of the most experienced and “hardy” ICU nurses are collapsing in the corridors crying or crying at the bed space for a split-second before shaking it off to save a life. The joy from many faces has disappeared.”

Heroic NHS workers are putting themselves at risk to care for the most sick – and there have been several deaths in the health service.

And the deaths of patients, who have no one’s hands to hold other than the medical staff who are caring for them, is something all workers are struggling to deal with.

A nurse told Sky : “A mother and I hugged and cried in full PPE. She had just lost her son in his thirties. It was truly heart-breaking.

“The lack of personable contact when consoling a person or saying goodbye to your loved ones will have an impact that will likely never resolve.”

But, despite the risks to themselves, staff at many hospitals have vowed no patient will die alone.

Dr Hepburn said: ““It’s incredibly difficult, we’re updating people as much as we can. Updating people daily with email and vi calling but it’s a poor facsimile for giving someone a hug or offering them a hand if they’re upset.

“We’re looking at finding a way to allow family members to come in and accepting the risk in full PPE at the end of life. The last thing we want to do is deny them time with a family member if they’re going to die.

“The danger is, especially with elderly people, if their relatives are a similar age, there’s a real risk if the disease is transmitted to them they could catch it.

“A doctor will be there. a nurse will be there, our team is very caring and if necessary we will sit there and hold their hand.

“No one should die alone, no one should die without someone holding their hand and talking to them.”

And the NHS heroes have one message for the public – stay at home and save lives.

They urged the public to follow the rules and make sure they were socially distancing – only going out for essentials or for exercise once a day and making sure they stayed at least six feet from each other.

Dr Hepburn said: “Please please listen to gov advice about staying in.

“Don’t pop to the corner shop to get some milk, please, please listen to the advice because ATM we have things just about under control but if infection rise even further it will be very frightening.

“You can get this at any age and any state of health and we’re seeing all kinds of people suffering with this.”