'Like swallowing broken glass': Matt Hancock relives coronavirus symptoms
Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson have both been diagnosed with coronavirus.
2 min read
Matt Hancock has told how having the coronavirus is like "swallowing broken glass".
The Health Secretary said he had lost half a stone since being diagnosed last week.
However, he said he eventually "turned the corner" and was able to emerge from self-isolation after seven days.
Mr Hancock spoke as speculation mounted that Boris Johnson may have to remain in quarantine for longer after he continued to report symptoms of the disease.
Speaking to the BBC about his experience, the Cabinet minister said: "It was pretty worrying, especially on the way down.
"But after two days or so that were pretty unpleasant and like having glass in your throat and a cough, thankfully I turned the corner and I’ve recovered."
He added: "The advice is it’s highly likely that I am now immune or have a very high level of immunity but it’s not certain. I’m social distancing just like everybody else."
Mr Hancock had earlier told Sky News: "It is rough, especially when you're on the downhill part of it.
"I had a couple of days when it was really unpleasant and I've lost about half a stone. But thankfully I've then recovered and I'm now feeling fine."
Meanwhile, the Health Secretary also defended the Government's handling of the crisis amid mounting criticism of a lack of testing and ventilators, as well as a failure to get protective equipment to frontline NHS staff.
He said: "The historians can crawl over what we've done. All I can say is that, hand on heart, at each stage I've done everything I possibly could."
The Prime Minister went into self-isolation last Friday, meaning he was due to come out of it today.
However, Public Health England recommends that period should be extended if the patient still has a high temperature.
Mr Johnson appeared at the door of 11 Downing Street for Thursday's night's 'Clap For Carers', but still appeared to be suffering the effects of the virus.
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