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U.K. Care Home Death Rate May Be 13 Times Higher Than Germany’s

U.K. Care Home Death Rate May Be 13 Times Higher Than Germany’s

Covid-19 is killing Spanish and U.K. care home residents at a higher rate than in other countries.

In the U.K., 5.3% of care home residents may have died from coronavirus infections, a figure 13 times worse than in Germany, according to a report by researchers from the London School of Economics. Of 15 countries analyzed the only one with a higher rate of Covid-19 fatalities was Spain, at 6.1%.

The analysis was published after the U.K. government decided that, starting next week, the most vulnerable people will no longer have to “shield” as long as they maintain social distancing. This includes the elderly and those with pre-existing health problems. More than 16,000 care home residents have died during the pandemic, The Guardian newspaper has reported.

Spain ended a state of emergency earlier this month and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the country would prepare for a possible second wave of infections by building up a strategic reserve of materials and medicines.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.