Two NHS nurses are being hailed as heroes after the British Prime Minister publicly thanked them for looking after him when he was in hospital fighting coronavirus.
Boris Johnson praised several Medical Staff but paid specific tribute to Nurse Luis Pitarma, from central Aveiro in Portugal and Nurse Jenny McGee, from Invercargill in New Zealand.
“The NHS has saved my life, no question,” said Boris Johnson, “particularly two nurses who stood by my bedside for 48 hours when things could have gone either way."
The British Prime Minister was admitted to Thomas’ Hospital in London on April 5 and moved to the ICU almost immediately when his symptoms worsened. He was given oxygen but did not contract pneumonia or need a respirator and was discharged at the weekend after 7 nights in hospital.
Luis Pitarma has been working at St Thomas’ for 4 years and specialises in oxygenation, which is why he was taking care of Boris Johnson whilst he was in the ICU. Nurse Pitarma has already received a call from Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to "thank him personally for his work and vigilance.”
Jenny McGee has been working as a nurse in the UK for 8 years. The New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern says she's sent a personal Facebook message to Nurse McGee to thank her for her work.