Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak could have to self-isolate if minister tests positive for Covid-19
Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson could be told to self-isolate for 14 days after the pair had a meeting with Alok Sharma before he fell ill, Downing Street has confirmed.
A spokesperson for Johnson said Sharma had a meeting with the Prime Minister and chancellor for 45 minutes on the economy, but that they all kept a two-metre distance at all times.
Sharma has been tested for Covid-19 and is currently self-isolating, after he was seen to be visibly unwell in the House of Commons yesterday.
Downing Street said that Sharma would go through the NHS track and trace programme if he tests positive, which would see anyone who had been in close contact with the business secretary forced to self-isolate for 14 days.
Close contact is considered to be made if someone has been within two metres of someone else without protective equipment for at least 15 minutes.
Downing Street said the meeting between Sharma, Sunak and Johnson was socially distanced, but that the Prime Minister and chancellor would have to follow the advice of contact tracers if they told them to self-isolate.
“We would follow the advice which is being given by the medical experts,” a spokesperson said.
Sharma’s illness immediately caused concern from some MPs who were already unhappy about the government’s scrapping of virtual parliament this week.
Kilometre-long queues were seen this week when MPs were forced to vote in person while socially distancing.
A group of Tory backbenchers, led by Karen Bradley, complained the new plans put MPs with pre-existing conditions at risk.
Speaking to the BBC today, Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said Sharma could just have “severe hay fever”.
“I don’t want to be premature because Alok, who I wish well and hope he recovers quickly, may well have had severe hayfever, we’re not sure yet,” Lewis said.
“He has had a test, he is self-isolating as you say, to take the correct precaution.”