British Prime Minster described himself as “fit as a butcher’s dog” an “bursting with antibodies” as he entered a 14-day quarantine on Monday after he came in contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus.
Johnson announced the quarantine in an upbeat video he posted on Twitter on Monday where he reminded the public that quarantining is just one way to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 54 million people globally, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“We also have two gigantic boxing gloves with which to wallop our foe into submission,” Johnson said speaking about rapid testing and a potential vaccine.
Within the last week, Pfizer and Moderna each announced their vaccine candidates showed effectiveness of better than 90% in preventing the spread of coronavirus.
Johnson suggested that vaccines may even be available prior to Christmas, although each company said distribution is more likely in 2021.
Johnson said his 14-day quarantine is coming despite the fact that he was socially distant from the person he came in contact with and that he’s already contracted the virus in April.
Johnson spent several days in the intensive care unit while battling the virus. As a result, Johnson said he’s “bursting with antibodies.”
The quarantine requirement comes as Johnson and the U.K. begins discussions over a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union. Negotiators are meeting in Brussels this week.
Johnson met with a small group of lawmakers for about a half-hour on Thursday, including one, Lee Anderson, who subsequently developed symptoms and tested positive, according to the Associated Press.
“I’m absolutely confident that together we can beat this disease,” Johnson said. “Don’t forget: Hands, face, space. Get a test if you have symptoms.”
The United Kingdom has experienced the seventh highest number of cases in the world with more 1.3 million. More than 52,000 people have died in the country has a result of the virus, the fifth most globally.
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