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The Prime Minister was discharged from hospital on April 12, where he was in intensive care while fighting the virus.

Mr Johnson made the shock announcement at the Downing Street press briefing on Monday.

He told reporters: “I’m finding that I have to wear spectacles for the first time in years – because I think of the likely effects of this thing.

“So I’m inclined to think there’s some … I think that’s very, very plausible that eyesight can be a problem associated with coronavirus.’

Changes to eyesight are not listed as a symptom of coronavirus by the NHS.

The official symptoms are a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, and they recently added loss or change to sense of smell or taste.

His comments come after Mr Cummings earlier told reporters that he took his family to Barnard Castle to see if he could drive safely after his illness affected his eyesight.

Speaking at a press conference in the Downing Street rose garden, Mr Cummings said he had fallen ill with “COVID symptoms” of a headache and fever the day after arriving in Durham.

Mr Cummings added: “My wife was very worried, particularly as my eyesight seemed to have been affected by the disease.

“She did not want to risk a nearly 300-mile drive with our child given how ill I had been.

Mr Cummings continued, and explained how he ended up at Barnard Castle town.

He said: “We agreed that we should go for a short drive to see if I could drive safely, we drove for roughly half an hour and ended up on the outskirts of Barnard Castle town.

“We did not visit the castle, we did not walk around the town.

“We parked by a river. My wife and I discussed the situation, we agreed that I could drive safely, we should turn around and go home.”

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The national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales John Apter took to Twitter to advise people to not drive if their eyesight might be impaired.

Apter added: “Folks, I say this in all sincerity and as an important road safety issue.

“If you’re feeling unwell and your eyesight may be impaired do not drive your vehicle to test your ability to drive.

“It’s not a wise move.

“As a former road death investigator with Hampshire police I have investigated many serious collisions, including fatalities.

“Some of these were caused by drivers with impaired vision, this is a serious issue.

“Do not drive if your eyesight is impaired or you feel unwell.”

Surrey Police’s road policing unit also tweeted that anyone concerned about their eyesight should not drive.

It added: “A driver’s vision is very important.

“If you have any concerns about your eyesight don’t drive, until you’ve sought the advice of a qualified optician.

“A driver must be able to read a standard number plate from 20 metres.”

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