As parts of the UK enter lockdown this weekend, new research shows that it can take up to three weeks for any noticeable impact on the rate of reproduction of COVID-19.

The report published by Edinburgh University also revealed that when members of the public are asked to stay at home and only travel when necessary takes 28 days to see a 50 percent reduction in the R rate.

You Li, a researcher in the Respiratory Viral Epidemiology Group at the university, says that authorities need to expect a time delay from when new measures are implemented.

The study comes as much of Europe is hit by a second wave of coronavirus, which has forced many governments to introduce stricter measures.

"We found a delay in the effect of introducing and lifting public health measures," You Li told CGTN Europe.

"And we believe that this is very relevant to policymakers' decisions, especially on which public health measures to introduce or lift and when to expect to see the effect of introducing and lifting these interventions.

"If the government decided to lift one public health measure then they should not expect to see an immediate increase in the R rate. Instead, the increase was more likely to be delayed by two to three weeks."

The most significant measure was banning public events, the research revealed and maybe more importantly banning gatherings of more than 10 people had little effect on the R-rate.

You Li went on to explain that closing schools would reduce the R rate by 'around 15 percent' but warned policymakers that reopening places of education would increase the R rate by 24 percent unless schools took precautionary measures on social distancing.