Covid 19 coronavirus: British PM Boris Johnson reveals doctors made plans to announce his death

Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo / Getty Images

Boris Johnson has revealed how doctors began making preparations to announce his death as he battled ­coronavirus.

Johnson said he was given "litres and litres of oxygen" by medics to keep him alive while in intensive care at London's St Thomas' Hospital.

The Prime Minister told the Sun on Sunday: "It was a tough old moment, I won't deny it. They had a strategy to deal with a 'death of Stalin'-type ­scenario.

"I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were ­contingency plans in place."

It came as two doctors who saved Johnson's life said they were "humbled and honoured" at being recognised in the name of the Prime Minister's son.

Kiwi nurse credited

The proud family of an Invercargill-born nurse credited by Boris Johnson for saving his life after he got Covid-19, said she was just doing her job - "to get people well and home again".

Jenny McGee says she's "overwhelmed" by the international response and has been inundated with messages since being publicly thanked by the British leader.

But the 35-year-old has more important things to do than concentrate on the accolades - she's back at work helping others battling the deadly virus.

McGee grew up on a farm in Edendale, went to school in Invercargill and trained as a nurse in Dunedin. She has been living and working in London for some time and works in the intensive care department at St Thomas' Hospital in the city.

Johnson, who was in hospital for a week being treating for Covid-19, thanked the National Health Service and its staff - but singled out two nurses who stood by his bedside for 48 hours "when things could have gone either way".

The 55-year-old said Jenny from Invercargill "to be exact", and Luis from Portugal, were the reason that "in the end, my body did start to get enough oxygen".