KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson is currently being treated for COVID-19 at a London Hospital.
Johnson, 55, was hospitalized on April 5 and was moved into the Intensive Care Unite the following day.
Among those in the United Kingdom checking up on Johnson's condition is Dr. Warren Dockter, a native of Grainger County and University of Tennessee graduate who is currently a lecturer in International Politics at Aberystwyth University in Wales.
Dockter has met many political figures through his time and studies at the University of Cambridge. He worked with Boris Johnson on the 2015 book, The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History, Dockter was a research assistant for the Prime Minister and the two have stayed in touch and remain good friends.
"I was shocked that he got the Coronavirus," Dockter said. "We were all shocked, the whole nation was shocked."
Dockter says he has complete confidence that the Prime Minister will be able to recover.
"He's a go-getter, Boris Johnson. He's a very robust man," Dockter said. "He's very charming and a lot of fun and I can tell you he's going to be able to fight this, I'm confidant of that. He's a very healthy man to be 55 if you know what I mean."
Dockter says that the whole nation has come together to pull for their leader and the nation's fight against COVID-19.
"The whole country has come together and put political bickering aside. It's become a national moment because it's so serious. Everyone recognizes that we're all in this together. We're just focusing on the best way to deal with this."
While he continues to work and live in the United Kingdom, Dockter still thinks of his family and friends in East Tennessee.
"We're all praying and hoping that Boris is going to make a speedy recovery," Dockter said. "I want to stress to may family and friends in Tennessee to take this seriously. It's a very serious virus."