Boris Johnson has been moved out of intensive care into a general ward at St Thomas’ Hospital in London but he will now need to rest and it is expected to be several weeks before he can take up the reins again at 10 Downing Street.

There is a palpable sense of relief at the news which came shortly before 8pm on Thursday when people across the country joined in the weekly applause for NHS and other frontline workers engaged in the fight to the death against the coronavirus epidemic.

In the last few days there has been genuine affection for Boris, even though he has on many occasions behaved in an appalling manner in his private life. Even his political opponents said they were praying for him— and that, too, in a largely secular society.

Whether other Prime Ministers would evoke such feeling is an interesting question.

“The Prime Minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery,” said a spokesman for 10 Downing Street. “He is in extremely good spirits.”

Friday’s newspapers headlines reflected the national mood. In The Sun, it was, “Boris is out (Now that really is a Good Friday!)”, while the Express summed up, “Boris is out of danger.”

Boris’s medical team handed him back his two mobile phones as the 55-year-old Prime Minister was wheeled out of the ICU. Apparently the first thing he did was call his pregnant girlfriend, Carrie Symonds. He has not been in touch for over a week with the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, who is a sort of acting Prime Minister in his absence.

Boris’s father, Stanley, interviewed by the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday, said the whole family was “amazingly grateful” for the efforts of the NHS and for the huge outpouring of support for his son.

He said the Prime Minister’s illness had underlined just how serious the coronavirus outbreak was. “To use that American expression, he almost took one for the team. We have got to make sure we play the game properly now. This is pretty straightforward now.

“He must rest up. As I understand it, he has moved from the ICU into a recovery unit but I don’t think you can say this is out of the woods now.

“He has to take time. I cannot believe you can walk away from this and get straight back to Downing Street and pick up the reins without a period of readjustment.”

Never before has there been such deep and genuine gratitude for the NHS, which would not function were it not for overseas doctors, especially from India.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: “So good that the Prime Minister is out of intensive care and on the road to recovery. The NHS is there for us all and I know our amazing NHS staff have given him their characteristic world-class care.”

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: “It really is great news, and is the most wonderful news going into what is likely to be a difficult Easter weekend.”

Although Boris effectively forced Sajid Javid to step down as chancellor, the latter still tweeted: “Thank goodness.”

And Zac Goldsmith, a good pal of Boris’s fiancée, simply said: “Hooray!”

Good wishes came from Labour politicians as well. David Lammy, the new shadow justice secretary, showed generosity of spirit: “The whole country is willing him on to make a full recovery as soon as possible.”

From Washington, President Trump sent his greetings: “Great News: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just been moved out of Intensive Care. Get well Boris!!!”