Lifestyle

One year ago today: Boris boasts about shaking hands with Covid patients

Footage of Boris Johnson boasting about shaking hands with Covid patients has been making the rounds on social media today.

The Prime Minister led a press conference on March 3rd in which he set out to reassure the British public about the threat of a new virus.

Answering a question on close contact with other people he said:

“I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody, you will be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands,” he said.

“People obviously can make up their own minds but I think the scientific evidence is … our judgment is that washing your hands is the crucial thing.”

Shortly after Johnson tested positive for Covid-19 and was taken to hospital where he later admitted that doctors were “ready to announce my death”.

Tweeting footage of the press conference Labour MP David Lammy said: “The UK has had the worst possible leader at the worst possible time”.

Watch it in full below:

Related: PMQs – The one where PM was proud to cut aid to Yemen and sell weapons to Saudi

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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