The PM doesn't have covid, FarawayGran. The Health Minister, who visited a care home last week has it and the PM and Chancellor, who had been in contact with him (despite Zoom being available and them owning a brand new £2.6million, taxpayer funded communication room), were pinged and told to isolate. They weren't going to isolate as they are part of a non-isolation testing test but, in response to a huge public outcry approximately 160 minutes later it was announced they are going to isolate after all.
I know this sounds like the plot of some kind of cheap comedy show where b-list actors play duplicitous, self-serving, entitled clowns, but sadly it's reality.
As for why is he so popular? No idea, but I imagine he is less popular than he was 8 hours ago.