From dove to lockdown hawk, from rear to vanguard of the rigor against coronavirus: it is the parable of Boris Johnson, 55 year old British conservative prime minister, driven by the tragic force of numbers - and by a dramatic personal experience of contagion that resulted in three nights with breath in resuscitation - now becoming a champion of caution. Here are the key passages, on the day of his return to the podium of the Downing Street press conference.
3rd March. In a world already marked by the epidemic, but with the Kingdom 2 weeks behind countries like Italy and still without registered deaths, Johnson rejoices: "I shake hands with everyone".
March 12. Seven days after the first census death, Boris admits that the Covid-19 epidemic is unprecedented, "the worst crisis in a generation" and adds: "I want to be honest with the British people, many families will lose loved ones ahead of time" . But postpone radical measures. For now, just "wash your hands for 2 strokes of Happy Birthday".
March 13. The executive's scientific adviser, Professor Patrick Vallance, evokes in an interview the hypothesis of a "mitigated" spread of the virus in order to hope to arrive at a form of "collective immunity", called "flock", leaving to imagine a strategy alternative to lockdown. The government in the days immediately following denies that this is his plan, but the controversy mounts and other dozens of scholars contest both Vallance and the hesitations attributed to the prime minister.
March 16. Convinced by the catastrophic predictions of at least 250,000 potential victims in the Kingdom in the absence of lockdowns, drawn from a statistical study by Imperial College London and Professor Neil Fergusson, Johnson finally announces the turning point, recommending the stop to any "non-essential" social contact and remote work. The compulsory closure of schools, pubs, restaurants, gyms and cinemas then starts on the 20th.
March 23. BoJo completes the squeeze with the general lockdown.
March 27. Shock announcement from Downing Street: Johnson tested positive for Covid-19. Initially the symptoms are declared "mild" and the premier simply isolates himself at home by addressing the country via video and continuing to lead the government remotely.
April 5. A few minutes after the broadcast of a historic television message of encouragement to the nation of 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth, the sudden hospitalization of the premier at St Thomas Hospital was announced. And the day after the transfer to the ICU, it causes respiratory aggravation.
April 12. Easter. BoJo is discharged. He confesses on video, proven, that he was "hanging" for 48 hours, thanking the doctors and nurses who "saved his life".
April 27. The Brexit premier returns to government work at 10 Downing Street after relinquishing the helm to the alternate Dominic Raab and after 2 weeks of convalescence.
April 30. Johnson also reappears at a press conference.