Based on UKHSA advice, the UK Chief Medical Officers and NHS England National Medical Director have recommended to ministers the COVID alert level moves from level 3 to level 2.
Hospitals and the wider health systems remain extremely busy overall but the summer BA.4 and BA.5 wave is subsiding and direct COVID severe illness is now a much smaller proportion of this.
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. Further COVID surges are likely so please be prepared by getting a vaccination when it is offered.
Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sir Chris Whitty
Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Professor Sir Michael McBride
Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Professor Sir Gregor Smith
Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Professor Chris Jones
NHS England National Medical Director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay and ministers from the devolved administrations have accepted the advice.
The alert levels are:
- level 1: COVID-19 is present in the UK, but the number of cases and transmission is low
- level 2: COVID-19 is in general circulation in the UK, but direct COVID-19 healthcare pressures are low and transmission is declining or stable
- level 3: COVID-19 is in general circulation in the UK
- level 4: COVID-19 is in general circulation in the UK; transmission is high and direct COVID-19 pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising
- level 5: as level 4 and there is a material risk of healthcare services being directly overwhelmed by COVID-19
