Government lowers UK Covid-19 alert level

The government has downgraded the Covid-19 alert level in the UK.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the chief medical officers of the UK nations have jointly recommended that the Covid alert level moves from level three to level two.

A level two alert means that “Covid-19 is in general circulation but direct Covid-19 healthcare pressures and transmission are declining or stable”.

A statement confirming the downgrade on the DHSC website said: "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.

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"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."

Meanwhile, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has opened its investigation into the decisions made by Boris Johnson’s Government during the pandemic.

There will be a particular focus initially on early 2020 until the first lockdown was imposed in late March.

The inquiry will then look at decisions taken throughout 2020 until February 2022 It will also examine the actions of the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The inquiry has set a date for a preliminary hearing