Boris Johnson waved his thanks to medical staff as he was moved from the intensive care unit back to the ward, a Downing Street spokesman has said, as the prime minister began his recovery from Covid-19.

The prime minister, who was moved out of intensive care on Thursday evening, was said to be in good spirits on Friday, according to a No 10 spokesman. Johnson was “enormously grateful for the care he’s receiving,” the official added, saying “he was waving his thanks towards the nurses and doctors that he saw as he was being moved from the intensive care unit back to the ward”.

A No 10 spokesman added later on Friday: “The prime minister has been able to do short walks, between periods of rest, as part of the care he is receiving to aid his recovery.

The updates came after the prime minister’s father, Stanley, spoke of the improvement in his son’s condition, saying he was “amazingly thankful” for the efforts of the NHS and appreciative of the nation’s outpouring of support.

 On Thursday evening, Downing Street said Johnson, 55, had been moved from intensive care back to the ward “where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery”. He was taken into hospital on Sunday after his coronavirus symptoms, including a cough and high temperature, persisted and he was moved to intensive care on Monday evening.

The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, who has been deputising for the prime minister, earlier said Johnson was making “positive steps forward”.

Johnson’s pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds – who has also had a bout of suspected Covid-19 – responded to the news by posting a rainbow on Twitter and a series of clapping emojis to show support for the NHS.

 SOURCE: theguardian