Boris Johnson is being forced to self-isolate after meeting a Conservative MP, Lee Anderson, who later tested positive for coronavirus. The prime minister’s colleagues insist there was no breach of Covid rules. So how did it happen?
Should Johnson and Anderson have met, and not wearing masks?
Johnson’s spokesman said on Monday that the prime minister “has been having a mix” of in-person and online meetings. He did not say why this meeting could not have been held online. Johnson and Anderson were photographed, maskless, standing about a metre from each other. The spokesman said the distance was mitigated by the fact the pair were side by side, not face to face.
What do workplace rules usually set out?
According to Johnson’s spokesman, staff do not wear masks while walking around No 10, but that there is a one-way system in place to prevent over-proximity.
In parliament, MPs and others who do attend in person are strongly encouraged to wear masks in communal areas – although not all do – but can take them off inside the Commons chamber, and in their offices.
The more general government advice for Covid-secure offices states that where people spend time less than 2 metres away, there should be an attempt to mitigate the risk, for example with screens or by ventilating the room. The windows shown in the photo of Johnson and Anderson appear to be closed.
Aren’t people meant to work from home?
During the temporary lockdown in England, yes, where possible. However, being prime minister is a role in which, as Hancock said, meeting people is inevitable. Parliament is sitting, although in a hybrid format, with some MPs appearing virtually. No 10 is arguably almost Johnson’s home anyway – he lives in the larger flat above 11 Downing Street.
Does anyone else have to self-isolate, and is everyone OK?
Tory MPs who said they had been at the meeting and were now self-isolating included Brendan Clarke-Smith, the MP for Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire; Andy Carter, the MP for Warrington South; Lia Nici, the MP for Great Grimsby; Katherine Fletcher, the MP for South Ribble in Lancashire; and Chris Clarkson, who represents Heywood and Middleton in Greater Manchester.
As Johnson has already had coronavirus, the expectation is that he will not have symptoms again. His fiancee, Carrie Symonds, and their son, Wilfred, do not have to self-isolate, but Johnson is expected to try to stay away from them “as much as possible”.
In a brief Facebook post, Anderson said that on Friday he had lost his sense of taste and his wife had a bad headache, and that a test on Saturday brought positive results for both of them. Anderson said he felt well, but “my biggest concern is my wife, who is in the shielded group”.
How did Johnson find out about it?
While this has not been officially confirmed, it appeared to be because both Anderson and Johnson were using the test-and-trace app on their phones, which tells you if a recent close contact has tested positive. In a video message posted to Twitter, Johnson said: “Hi folks, the good news is that NHS test and trace is working ever more efficiently, but the bad news is that they’ve pinged me and I’ve got to self isolate because someone I was in contact with a few days ago has developed Covid.”
How long does Johnson have to self-isolate?
The rules stipulate this must last for 14 days from the last contact with the infected person. The meeting with Anderson took place on Thursday morning, meaning the PM has 10 more days to go.
Have any other government figures had to self-isolate?
This month a staffer in the private office of Alok Sharma tested positive for coronavirus, shortly before the business secretary went on a visit to South Korea. However, Sharma was not asked to self-isolate. His officials said that while the staffer had been in a meeting with Sharma a few days before the positive text, the pair were not in close contact.
Is the 14-day self-isolation period under review?
The two-week period was set as the last likely day for people to develop symptoms if they have become infected. But since then, the provision of testing has expanded, and newer, near-instant tests are emerging. With figures showing only a small proportion people fully stick to the 14 days of isolation, it is expected the time could be cut, possibly to 10 days.
Will the antibodies from Johnson’s previous Covid infection protect him?
It is unclear how long antibodies from coronavirus can protect against reinfection. A recent study suggested five months, but there is no definitive answer. People have contracted Covid-19 twice but, worldwide, these cases have been few and far between. Among such cases there has been no consistent pattern as to the severity of the infection the second time round. In most cases the reinfection has been no worse, but there have been instances – in the Netherlands, Ecuador, India and the US – where it was more severe.
