Downing Street have said that the Prime Minister does not have โpneumoniaโ and is โstableโ and does not require assistance to breathe.
On Tuesday a Downing Street spokesman said, โHe is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance.
โHe has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.โ
But an expert is asking why is the Prime Minister still in an intensive care unit (ICU) if he only requires “standard oxygen treatment?”
Another expert said that the NHS “doesnโt give up intensive care beds just for people to be looked over.”
The NHS website states that ICUโs are, โSpecialist hospital wards that provide treatment and monitoring for people who are very ill.โ
Adding, โIntensive care is needed if someone is seriously ill and requires intensive treatment and close monitoring, or if theyโre having surgery and intensive care, can help them recover.
โMost people in an ICU have problems with one or more organs. For example, they may be unable to breathe on their own.โ
Dr Nathalie McDermott, a clinical lecturer at Kings College London questions why Johnson is in intensive care, rather than a ward or High Dependency Unit if it is true he only requires standard oxygen treatment?
She said, โDowning Street are saying heโs not requiring anything other than oxygen which I find interesting because someone requiring oxygen wouldnโt normally be on intensive care.
Adding, โ[The patient] might be on a High Dependency Unit, they might have two to one or one to one nursing.
โBut normally you go to intensive care when you need additional breathing support. Itโs difficult to know.โ
Derek Hill, professor of medical imaging at University College London (UCL) warned that Johnson could be placed on a breathing aid called, a continuous positive airway pressure, also known as a CPAP.
The CPAP is less intrusive than a ventilator and bridges the gap between an oxygen mask and being intubated and placed on a ventilator.
The CPAP provides a steady rate of a mix of air and oxygen into the mouth.
Professor Hill said on Tuesday, โOne of the features of COVID-19 in all countries seems to be that many more men become seriously ill than women, especially in the over 40 age group.
โAlso, we know that people under about 60 seem to have a higher chance of making a recovery from critical illness with COVID-19 than older people.
โBut there is no doubt this turn of events means Boris Johnson is extremely sick.โ
He warned that this highlights three major issues.
โFirstly, many patients need help breathing, and there is a shortage of the mechanical ventilators that can do this, and in particular a shortage of the high-quality intensive care ventilators most suitable for COVID-19 patients who might need help breathing for more than a week.
โSecondly, COVID-19 patients need a huge amount of oxygen to help them breathe, which is potentially going to be in short supply.
โThirdly, looking after people in intensive care requires skilled staff, and the experience of New York has been that finding enough skilled staff has been the greatest challenge.โ
Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist, told Sky News on Monday, โIโll say this to you, the NHS, particularly at this moment, doesnโt give up intensive care beds just for people to be looked over, it doesnโt work like that, even for prime ministers.
โHe would not be in intensive care unless he needed to be in intensive care, especially not at this time, and I think itโs probably about time that the press people in Number 10 started levelling with us about what his condition really is.โ
The Daily Telegraph reported, that Dr Richard Leach is a senior clinician at Guyโs and St Thomasโ Hospital and has been by Johnsonโs bedside.
Colleagues of Dr Leach say he is a โbrilliant doctorโ and has โsaved thousands of lives.โ
A colleague of Dr Leach said, โHeโs the most knowledgeable respiratory specialist in the country, and heโs a straight talker.
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