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Reuters
JD Wetherspoon has mentioned that 66 of its employees have examined constructive for the coronavirus however maintains that visiting pubs is secure.
The corporate, which employs greater than 41,000 folks, mentioned the overwhelming majority of its pubs had recorded no constructive exams for the virus.
There had been a number of circumstances amongst employees at 50 of its pubs.
Wetherspoon’s boss Tim Martin dismissed claims by illness professional Professor Hugh Pennington that pubs are “harmful”.
He mentioned: “The state of affairs with regard to pubs has been extensively misunderstood.”
Aberdeen College’s Prof Pennington mentioned final month that pubs are “far, way more harmful locations to be” when discussing sending kids again to highschool throughout the pandemic.
Since reopening on four July, the corporate mentioned some 32 million folks have visited its 861 open pubs.
Forty of its pubs have reported one employee testing constructive for the coronavirus and 6 have disclosed two.
As well as, two pubs reported three employees testing constructive and one other two mentioned 4 employees had.
Wetherspoon mentioned 28 of the affected workers had returned to work. A spokesman for the corporate mentioned the employees, in addition to those that labored in shut proximity to them, self-isolated for 14 days and have been paid in full.
The chain mentioned signing as much as the NHS track-and-trace system was obligatory in its premises.
Mr Martin mentioned there was no listing of the pubs that had been affected. “Every time there was a state of affairs we’ve got handled the native press, public well being and the council,” he mentioned.
Rule of six
The corporate mentioned it has invested £15m in hygiene and social distancing measures at its premises. Mr Martin argued that pubs and retailers have been safer than properties.
“It’s a lot simpler to inadvertently cross on the virus in somebody’s home, the place individuals are extra relaxed and fewer vigilant,” he mentioned.
From Monday, social gatherings of greater than six folks have been banned each indoors and open air in England and Scotland and indoors solely in Wales.
It follows an increase in new coronavirus circumstances, with an additional 3,330 constructive circumstances recorded within the UK on Sunday.
Mr Martin mentioned there had not been a rush of individuals coming to its pubs earlier than the so-called “rule of six” was launched and commerce was 22.5% under the equal Saturday final 12 months.
He added: “If pubs are closed, or restricted a lot that they turn out to be unprofitable, quite a lot of the strenuous effort of the hospitality business’s 3.2 million workers, at present engaged on upholding hygiene and social distancing requirements, might be misplaced.”
