Carrie Johnson shared her experience of being hospitalized for a week with influenza and pneumonia, revealing that she struggled with a severe chest infection for 18 days before being admitted to Oxfordshire’s John Radcliffe Hospital. She praised the NHS staff for their exceptional care and expressed gratitude for their support during her recovery. Johnson emphasized the importance of getting flu vaccinations, highlighting her regret for not doing so. Meanwhile, England’s emergency services face overwhelming demand, grappling with record-high flu cases and hospital admissions, prompting numerous hospitals to declare major incidents amid intense pressure on NHS staff.
Carrie Johnson has revealed she was in hospital for a week with influenza and pneumonia, as England’s emergency services battle their “busiest winter ever”.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s wife shared a photo of herself in a hospital bed, spending the first few days of 2025 at Oxfordshire’s John Radcliffe Hospital after enduring a “horrible” chest infection for nearly 18 days. He said he spent time in
“Just came out and was struggling to breathe properly,” she wrote in her Instagram caption.
“I was diagnosed with influenza and pneumonia at the hospital. I’ve been there for almost a week and I’m still not recovered. It may be a few more weeks before I feel like myself again.”
Carey went on to praise the team of staff who helped her recover, calling NHS doctors and nurses “the best people on the planet”.
“I say it again and again, they took care of me and my family when we needed it most, so I can’t help but be so grateful. They are the absolute best of us. .”
“I was at John Radcliffe and I can’t thank them enough. One of the nurses serenaded me at my bedside when I wasn’t feeling particularly well. ” she said.
Carey also urged people to get their flu shots, saying: “I really wish I had.” This year, it was completely out of my mind. ”
Carrie Johnson has revealed that she was hospitalized for a week with influenza and pneumonia.
Carey also revealed that her children gave her toys while she was in the hospital.
Photo of Carrie Johnson and her husband Boris. She went on to praise the NHS for its treatment.
“There are no guarantees, but if I had been infected, I might not have had to spend the last three weeks so badly,” she added.
The former prime minister’s wife also shared a second photo of a green dinosaur and a heart-shaped princess keychain, which she said belonged to her young children Wilfred and Romy.
“The second picture is Wilf’s favorite dinosaur toy, Greenie, and Romy’s princess keychain, which they gave us to take to the hospital and left by his bedside. It’s all about health and family. ”
The announcement comes amid warnings that England’s emergency services are battling their “busiest winter on record” as flu cases continue to soar.
More than 2.3 million patients visited A&E in December and ambulance teams responded to more than 800,000 incidents, the highest ever for a single month.
Separate surveillance data monitoring England’s flu outbreak also suggests hospital admissions have increased by a fifth in a week, reaching nearly five times the level recorded in early December.
The crisis has already caused more than a dozen hospitals to declare major incidents, meaning they are struggling to provide safe care to patients.
Experts also fear that the UK’s “dangerous” cold spell will put even more pressure on already strained hospitals.
Back in 2022, Carey shared an adorable photo of Wilfred and Romi serving mince pies and carrots to Santa on Christmas Eve.
Wilfred was pictured in 2022, looking out the window while wearing a jumper with his name on it.
Romy is pictured surrounded by piles of presents as she celebrates her first birthday on December 9, 2022
Just this week, the UK Health and Safety Executive extended its ‘Amber’ cold health alert until 12pm on Sunday 12th January.
Britain’s top doctor also warned that NHS staff are under “intense pressure” and are facing a situation “similar to the height of the pandemic”.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: ‘It is clear that hospitals are under extraordinary pressure at the start of this new year, with huge demand due to the ongoing cold snap and respiratory viruses such as influenza. “There is,” he said.
“It all comes against the backdrop of 2024 being the busiest year on record for A&E and ambulance teams.
“In the face of the current challenges, with NHS staff working across a range of services and often in packed hospitals, we remain caring and professional and are doing everything we can to see patients as quickly as possible. I can’t help but be impressed by the amazing work you do.” Until it bursts.
“It is difficult to quantify from data alone how tough conditions are for frontline staff at the moment. For some staff working in A&E, their days at work are similar to those spent at the height of the pandemic. He says he feels it.
“After an incredibly busy winter and hospitals clearly under intense pressure, please continue to only use 999 and A&E for life-threatening emergencies.”
Sir Stephen Powis, the NHS’s national medical director, warned that NHS staff are under “intense pressure” and are facing conditions “similar to those at the height of the pandemic”.
An average of 5,408 people with influenza were admitted to hospital in England every day last week, according to the latest weekly NHS statistics.
For comparison, this number for the same period last year was 1,548. However, it is down slightly compared to this point two years ago.
In the UK, more than 620 hospital beds were filled every day last week with patients complaining of diarrhea, vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms.
This is almost a fifth increase compared to the previous week’s 528 cases, and almost a 50% increase compared to the same point last year (424 cases).
Respiratory syncytial virus (most common in infants and young children) has increased by almost half compared to the same period in 2023.
More than 1,100 beds were also occupied by coronavirus patients.
Some hospitals have begun restricting visiting hours and requiring masks to be worn, fearing an increase in the number of “big four” cases.
At least a dozen cases have now been declared “serious incidents.”
Several NHS hospitals have now declared a ‘major incident’. Pictured: An ambulance waits outside the emergency department at the Royal Cornwall Hospital on January 4.
A serious incident is an NHS term used when a hospital can no longer ensure it can safely provide patient care.
Such incidents are typically declared in response to overwhelming demand or infrastructure failure.
NHS data shows more than four in 10 patients arriving by ambulance at a hospital in England last week waited at least 30 minutes before being handed over to an A&E team, the highest figure so far this winter.
More than a fifth of deliveries (19,554 patients) were delayed by more than an hour, also the highest number so far this winter and almost double the same point last year.
