LONDON (Reuters) – The prevalence of COVID-19 infections in England dropped sharply in March, a closely watched poll said Thursday, but as a warning, it also showed the decline in infections had slowed.
The REACT study, conducted by Imperial College London, found that infections decreased by about 60% compared to the last study in February, with only 1 in 500 people infected.
However, the study found that the rate of decline began to level off in mid-March. Schools reopened on March 8 and COVID-19 restrictions will be further relaxed next week, with the reopening of all outdoor shops and hangouts.
“We have seen a satisfying decline in infections since our last survey in February … This is hugely encouraging and shows that we are on the right track,” said Paul Elliott, director of the REACT program.
“In our most recent data, however, there has been a flattening of the infection rate with an R (reproduction) number now around one. This shows that we must continue to approach the situation with caution and obey 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 more than 140,000 volunteers tested in the last round in England between March 11 and March 30.
The study found that the correlation between infections and deaths was divergent, possibly an effect of the UK’s COVID-19 vaccination program, in which more than 31 million people received a first COVID-19 vaccine dose.
“These findings are promising and illustrate the significant impact that lockdown, in conjunction 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