‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme accelerated coronavirus second wave across UK, study says
The IndependentGet the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The UK government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme caused a "significant" increase in new coronavirus cases, a new study has found, and contributed to the “acceleration” of the pandemic. The associate professor behind the study, Dr Thiemo Fetzer, said the Eat Out to Help Out initiative “shortened the time between the UK’s first and second coronavirus waves”. “It’s a consequence of very shortsighted policies that generate nice headlines, as the Eat Out to Help Out scheme did over the summer.” Dr Fetzer underlined: "Ultimately, by accelerating the pandemic, it was a false economy.” The preprint, which has not yet been published as a paper, shows that areas with higher uptake of the subsidised restaurant scheme saw infections “steadily” increase about one week after the initiative began, and decline after it had ended. “We’re continuing to work closely with businesses to help them be Covid-secure.” The state subsidised around 100m meals during August.