THE alert level for coronavirus across the UK has been lowered from level 4 to level 3, the Department of Health has confirmed.
The move was recommended by the Joint Biosecurity Centre after a ‘steady decrease’ in Covid-19 cases in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A reduction from level 4 to level 3 means coronavirus is deemed less of a threat to the UK public.
Level 4 means the virus is in general circulation and that transmission is high or rising exponentially, while level 3 means the epidemic is in general circulation.
Government definition of the five levels:
Level 1 – Covid-19 is not known to be present in the UK
Level 2 – Covid-19 is present in the UK, but the number of cases and transmission is low
Level 3 – A Covid-19 epidemic is in general circulation
Level 4 – A Covid-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high or rising exponentially
Level 5 – As level 4 and there is a material risk of healthcare services being overwhelmed