Boris Johnson has spoken of his dramatic stay in intensive care as doctors faced a “50-50” decision on whether to put him on a ventilator and plans were drawn up on how to announce his death. In an interview with the Sun on Sunday, the prime minister said he needed “litres and litres” of oxygen but he got through his ordeal with “terrible buoyancy” that left him convinced he could make it. He also admitted he had worked throughout the early stage of his illness and not taken the disease seriously enough, having to be “forced” to go to hospital on the advice of doctors. Johnson came out of a three-night stay in intensive care at St Thomas’ hospital in Westminster on 9 April. In a separate interview with Monday’s Sun, Johnson also revealed how he clapped for carers from his hospital ward. He told the Sun: “It was a Thursday when I came out of ICU, and with me I had a nurse called Becky and a nurse called, I think, Angel. I was just in my boxers, nothing else. We stood up and there was this big window looking out of the Thames, and we saw the Met and the Fire Brigade do this display with their boats. It was just fantastic. And we clapped like crazy for the NHS and for care workers.” Johnson added: “I owe my life to our doctors and nurses and the healthcare workers. They pulled my chestnuts out of the fire, no question.” Following his release from hospital he spent two weeks recovering at Chequers. His baby with his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, was born on Wednesday morning. The PM had only returned to work on Monday. He told the Sun on Sunday: “To be honest, the doctors had all sorts of plans for what to do if things went badly wrong. I was not in particularly brilliant shape because the oxygen levels in my blood kept going down. “But it was thanks to some wonderful, wonderful nursing that I made it. They really did it and they made a huge difference.” Johnson, 55, tested positive for the virus in late March and went into isolation at a flat in 11 Downing Street for an initial period of seven days, separated from Symonds. The public were told he had persistent symptoms, including a temperature. He said: “The thing was, I was in denial because I was working and I kept doing these meetings by video link. But I was really feeling pretty groggy, to be totally honest with you. I was feeling pretty wasted – not in an intoxicated way, but just, you know, pretty rough.” By the time he ended up in hospital he explained how he needed “litres and litres” of oxygen, which was delivered by a tube fitted under his nose. That was then switched to a large face mask and, when his condition worsened, he was moved into intensive care, with doctors having to decide whether to put him into an induced coma and on to a ventilator. He said: “I was fully conscious and all too aware of what was going on. The bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe. “They were starting to think about how to handle it presentationally. It was a tough old moment. I won’t deny it.” He thanked the medical team that helped him, including the nursing staff Jenny McGee and Luis Pitarma, whom he first praised in a social media clip he released after his stay in hospital. Two doctors that treated him, Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart, were the inspiration for his new son Wilfred’s middle name, Nicholas, Symonds said on Saturday. In the Instagram post including a picture of Symonds holding Wilfred, she wrote that she “couldn’t be happier” and that her “heart is full”. She added: “Introducing Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson born on 29.04.20 at 9am. “Wilfred after Boris’s grandfather, Lawrie after my grandfather, Nicholas after Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart – the two doctors that saved Boris’s life last month. “Thank you so, so much to the incredible NHS maternity team at UCLH that looked after us so well. I couldn’t be happier. My heart is full.” In a joint statement the doctors said they were “humbled and honoured” to be recognised. The pair, who are experts in infectious diseases and ventilation, were among the team to nurse Johnson back to health. The statement said: “Our warm congratulations go to the prime minister and Carrie Symonds on the happy arrival of their beautiful son Wilfred. “We are honoured and humbled to have been recognised in this way, and we give our thanks to the incredible team of professionals who we work with at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and who ensure every patient receives the best care. “We wish the new family every health and happiness.” Symonds and Wilfred are understood to be back in Downing Street with Johnson. The couple announced on Wednesday that she had given birth to a baby boy earlier that day.