UK’s Boris Johnson to rely on Zoom after COVID-19 contact

The U.K.’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, wished fans well in a video message posted Monday after revealing a day earlier that he would self-isolate after coming in to contact with a person infected with COVID-19.

In the video posted to Twitter, Johnson said that he would rely on Zoom to work remotely for the next two weeks while isolating in his apartment at No. 10 Downing Street.

“We’ve got to interrupt the spread of the disease, and one of the ways we can do that now is by self-isolating for 14 days when you get contacted by [National Health Service staff],” Johnson said in the video.

He added that he will have “plenty more to say by Zoom, of course, and other means of electronic communication” in the coming days.

Hi folks, I’ve been instructed by our NHS Test & Trace scheme to self-isolate for two weeks, after being in contact with someone with Covid-19.

I’m in good health and have no symptoms, and will continue to lead on our response to the virus & our plans to #BuildBackBetter pic.twitter.com/yNgIme8lOz

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 16, 2020

Johnson, who was released from the ICU in April after contracting COVID-19, has credited Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) staff with saving his life. He announced plans to self-isolate on Sunday after being contacted by the country’s test-and-trace system about coming into contact with an infected person.

“Today I was notified by NHS Test and Trace that I must self-isolate as I have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19,” he tweeted. “I have no symptoms, but am following the rules and will be working from No10 as I continue to lead the government’s pandemic response.”

The U.K. has seen a surge of new coronavirus infections in recent weeks and on Sunday reported nearly 25,000 new confirmed cases of the virus.