(Alliance News) - JD Wetherspoon PLC Chair Tim Martin on Friday issued a statement claiming that results of Sweden's Covid-19 policies are "widely misunderstood" and that its no-lockdown strategy is superior to the UK.
Martin, chair of the Watford, Hertfordshire-based pub chain, said: "Whatever way you look at the numbers, Sweden's no-lockdown strategy is working better than the UK's approach.
"According to the respected Worldometer website, Sweden had 1,330 Covid-19 fatalities from 1 November to 9 December, 2020. The UK had 16,011 fatalities during the same period. Adjusting for population, the Swedish fatality rate is just over half that of the UK during this period."
The chair went on to note that "a Daily Mail headline (7 December) said that a 'Lockdown finally looms for Sweden'", although "The Swedish prime minister has specifically said that this is not true."
Martin added: "The Daily Mail article also said that 'Sweden's overall death rate is no worse than in other major countries of Western Europe, such as Britain and France.' This is misleading, since the Swedish outcome is evidently far better than Britain's."
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9025989/Swedens-Covid-infection-rate-soars-Britain-Germany-Spain.html
By Anna Farley; annafarley@alliancenews.com
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