Covid-19 infections have fallen by 30 per cent during England’s month-long national lockdown and the virus is now in retreat, a large-scale study of more than 100,000 volunteers showed.

England began its second national lockdown on Nov 5 to curb rapidly rising infections and protect its health system. The country is due to return to a regional approach to restrictions from Dec 2.

Levels of infection fell 30pc, with 96 people per 10,000 infected between Nov 13 and Nov 24, according to interim results of the study by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI.

The last iteration of the research, carried out between Oct 16 and Nov 2, showed 130 infections per 10,000 people.

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