Boris Johnson compares coronavirus to an ‘invisible mugger’

After three weeks of being away from his desk, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has returned back to work at Number 10 Downing Street.

Johnson addressed the nation on Monday morning and said the UK  is “coming to the end of the first phase” of coronavirus.

The Prime Minister compared the fight to someone being attacked, Johnson said, “If this virus were a physical assailant, an unexpected and invisible mugger, which I can tell you from personal experience, it is, then this is the moment when we have begun together to wrestle it to the floor.

“And so it follows that this is the moment of opportunity, this is the moment when we can press home our advantage, it is also the moment of maximum risk.

“I know there will be many people looking at our apparent success, and beginning to wonder whether now is the time to go easy on those social distancing measures.”

He said “this is the moment of maximum risk but is also the time to tackle it.”

Johnson said he understands peoples “frustrations” over the lockdown, but he refuses to “throw away all the efforts of the British people.”

“I understand your impatience and I share your anxiety but without the private sector and commitment of the wealth creators of this country there will be no economy or cash to fund public services, the NHS.”

He can see the long-term consequences of the lockdown and shares the urgency of businesses, but “we need to recognise the risk of a second spike, the risk of losing control.”

He said, this is “the biggest single challenge the country has faced since the war, but we are making progress.”

He promised there will be more announcements in the coming days, and will be transparent with the British public.

He paid tribute to Captain Tom Moore, and told the public to keep going by staying at home and show the same spirit of optimism as he has, and has now raised over £30m for the NHS.