UK’s Cummings denies ‘too bad’ quote on pensioners dying from coronavirus

LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior adviser on Monday denied a weekend newspaper report that he had prioritized herd immunity and the economy in the coronavirus crisis at the expense of pensioners dying.

The Sunday Times reported that Dominic Cummings at the end of February had outlined the government’s strategy as “herd immunity, protect the economy and if that means some pensioners die, too bad.”

When asked by Reuters if he had said the quote attributed to him and whether the report was accurate, Cummings said: “No. Of course not. No.”

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden)