Trump prays for Boris Johnson's recovery, says he has asked two US drug companies to help in UK PM's treatment
The world was left shocked after Boris Johnson, the prime minister of UK, was admitted to the intensive care unit in London on Monday, April 6. President Donald Trump was no exception. Johnson, who took over the reins amid the Brexit chaos in July last year, tested positive for COVID-19 in March end and was taken to the ICU at St Thomas’ Hospital on April 6 after his condition worsened.
Trump, who had his share of differences with UK in recent times, stood by the side of the ill prime minister and offered support. At the daily briefing at the White House, he said: “I want to send best wishes to a very good friend of mine, and a friend to our nation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson.”
“We are very saddened to hear that he was taken into intensive care this afternoon a little while ago. And Americans are all praying for his recovery. He has been a really good friend, pretty something special. Very strong. Resolute, he does not quit. Does not give up.”
The president also said that he has asked a couple of therapeutic companies working with the US government to immediately contact London about assisting the Conservative leader’s treatment.
Hours later, Trump spoke on the matter again at the White House to say that he has contacted two American drug companies to work with Johnson’s office about the premier’s care. “I have asked two of the leading companies — these are brilliant companies, they have come up with solutions and just have done incredible jobs — I have asked them to contact London immediately," Trump said.
“They speak a language that most people do not even understand — but I understand something that they have really advanced there, therapeutically, and that they have arrived in London already. The London office has whatever they need. And we will see if we can be of help. We have contacted all of Boris' doctors, and we will see what is going to take place. But they are ready to go.”
Trump also said that when one goes to intensive care, it gets very serious with the disease.
The president, however, stopped short of specifically naming the treatment that the US drug companies were looking into for Johnson and according to one report in the Daily Mail, he was referring to hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug the president has repeatedly called a “game changer” against the pandemic.
US tightens things around president, vice president security
Trump also said both he and his deputy — Mike Pence — had been tested during the past few days. “Just because of questions like that, I think we’ll probably have maybe quite a few tests. It’s not the worst idea, you know. The system of testing now is so quick and so easy,” he said.
The White House has now made things strict around the president over the last one month. Journalists have their temperatures taken before being allowed into the briefing room. Last Friday, April 3, the White House also announced that a new rapid test meant anybody meeting the president or vice president would be made to undergo the test “to evaluate for presymptomatic or asymptomatic carriers”.
Both the trans-Atlantic allies — US and UK — are witnessing grave situations on their respective soils because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected more than 1.3 million worldwide and killed over 74,700. The US has 368,079 cases of coronavirus at the moment, the highest in the world, while nearly 11,000 lives have been lost. In the UK, over 52,000 have been affected while 5,385 have died.
Besides Johnson, 70-year-old Labour MP from Greater Manchetser — Tony Lloyd — was also admitted to hospital on April 6. He was stable and responding to treatment, reported the Guardian.
In his absence, Johnson has deputized First Secretary Dominic Raab “where necessary”.