Covid alert reduced from level 5 to level 4

The UK’s Covid-19 alert level has been lowered as the country’s top medics said the threat of the NHS being overwhelmed has receded.

The Level 5 alert was announced on January 4 as lockdown measures were introduced by Boris Johnson amid fears the health service could be swamped within 21 days.

The decision to reduce the alert to Level 4 has been made by the UK’s four chief medical officers and

NHS England’s medical director because the number of cases are “declining”.

England’s Professor Chris Whitty, Northern Ireland’s Dr Michael McBride, Scotland’s Dr Gregor Smith, Wales’s Dr Frank Atherton and NHS England’s Professor Stephen Powis announced the decision on Thursday following advice from the Joint Biosecurity

Centre.

They said health services across the four nations “remain under significant pressure with a high number of patients in hospital”, but thanks to the efforts of the public numbers are now “consistently declining, and the threat of the NHS and other health services being overwhelmed within 21 days has receded”.

They added: “We should be under no illusions – transmission rates, hospital pressures and deaths are still very high.

“In time, the vaccines will have a major impact and we encourage everyone to get vaccinated when they receive the offer.

“However, for the time being it is really important that we all – vaccinated or not – remain vigilant and continue to follow the guidelines.”