UK’s COVID alert level downgraded from level 3 to 2
The UK’s COVID alert level has been downgraded from level three to two.The change was recommended by the four UK’s chief medical officers, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
A level two alert means that “COVID-19 is in general circulation but direct healthcare pressures and transmission are declining or stable”.The chief medical officers said that while hospitals and the “wider health systems remain extremely busy overall”, the “summer BA 4 and BA 5 (both Omicron variants) wave is subsiding and direct COVID severe illness is now a much smaller proportion of this”.Read more: What is the UK’s COVID alert level and what does it mean?
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The COVID alert system being used by the government
They added: “Severe COVID cases, direct COVID healthcare pressures, direct COVID deaths and ONS community positivity estimates have decreased.”COVID remains present in the community and we may see an increase in cases with BA 4.6 and BA 2.75 circulating but do not expect this to lead to an immediate increase in hospital pressures.
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“This will continue to be kept under review.”In their statement, the chief medical officers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland added that further COVID surges are still “likely” and people should be “prepared by getting a vaccination when it is offered”.
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There are several factors taken into account when the level falls from three to two.The UK Health Security Agency lays out the following criteria on the government website.Its four “indicators” are:Is the national R reliably estimated to be Are cases and transmission falling?Are direct COVID-19 healthcare pressures falling?Is current direct COVID-19 absolute healthcare pressure sufficiently low to support de-escalation to level 2?
The UK’s COVID alert level has been downgraded from level three to two.
The change was recommended by the four UK’s chief medical officers, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
A level two alert means that “COVID-19 is in general circulation but direct healthcare pressures and transmission are declining or stable”.
The chief medical officers said that while hospitals and the “wider health systems remain extremely busy overall”, the “summer BA 4 and BA 5 (both Omicron variants) wave is subsiding and direct COVID severe illness is now a much smaller proportion of this”.
Read more: What is the UK’s COVID alert level and what does it mean?
They added: “Severe COVID cases, direct COVID healthcare pressures, direct COVID deaths and ONS community positivity estimates have decreased.
“COVID remains present in the community and we may see an increase in cases with BA 4.6 and BA 2.75 circulating but do not expect this to lead to an immediate increase in hospital pressures.
“This will continue to be kept under review.”
In their statement, the chief medical officers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland added that further COVID surges are still “likely” and people should be “prepared by getting a vaccination when it is offered”.
There are several factors taken into account when the level falls from three to two.
The UK Health Security Agency lays out the following criteria on the government website.
Its four “indicators” are:
- Is the national R reliably estimated to be
- Are cases and transmission falling?
- Are direct COVID-19 healthcare pressures falling?
- Is current direct COVID-19 absolute healthcare pressure sufficiently low to support de-escalation to level 2?