LONDON (Reuters) – The prevalence of COVID-19 infections in England fell sharply in March, a close-up poll said on Thursday, but warned in a cautionary note that the decline in infections has slowed.
The REACT study, conducted by Imperial College London, found that infections fell by about 60% from the last study in February, with only 1 in 500 people infected.
However, the study found that the rate of decline began to apply in mid-March. The schools were reopened on March 8, and the COVID-19 restrictions will be relaxed next week, with the reopening of all outdoor stores and hospitality venues.
“We have seen a satisfactory decrease in infections since our last survey in February … This is extremely encouraging and shows that we are moving in the right direction,” said Paul Elliott, director of the REACT program.
“However, in our most recent data there has been a flattening of the infection rate with an R number (reproduction) now around one. This shows that we must continue to approach the situation with caution and abide by the rules. ”
Overall, the national prevalence in England fell from 0.49% in February to 0.20% in March.
The REACT study is one of the largest COVID-19 surveys of its kind in England, with over 140,000 volunteers tested in England between March 11 and 30 in the last round.
The study found that the correlation between infections and deaths was divergent, possibly an effect of the British vaccination program COVID-19, which saw more than 31 million people receive a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
These findings are promising and illustrate the significant impact that the blockage, combined with our phenomenal vaccination program, has on the prevalence of this terrible virus, said Health Minister Matt Hancock.
Reporting by Alistair Smout; edited by Jonathan Oatis