UK Covid alert level moves down to level 3
Level three means that Covid-19 is in general circulation
Last updated 10th May 2021
The UK's Covid-19 alert level has moved from level 4 to level 3 in light of recent data, according to the chief medical officers for each country.
This is due to a consistent fall in cases, hospitalisations and deaths.
There are five different levels, ranging from level 1 which signifies Covid-19 is not knowingly present in the UK, to level 5 which means there is a risk of healthcare services being overwhelmed.
What does the level 3 alert mean?
Level 3 means that Covid-19 is in general circulation in the UK but that transmission is no longer rising rapidly as in level 4.
The UK previously moved from level 5 to level 4 on 25th February, having been put in the top level on 4th January 2021.
The chief medical officers thanked the efforts of the public
In a statement, the chief medical officers for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and NHS England national medical director Stephen Powys said: “Thanks to the efforts of the UK public in social distancing and the impact we are starting to see from the vaccination programme, case numbers, deaths and Covid hospital pressures have fallen consistently.
“However Covid is still circulating with people catching and spreading the virus every day so we all need to continue to be vigilant. This remains a major pandemic globally.
“It is very important that we all continue to follow the guidance closely and everyone gets both doses of the vaccine when they are offered it.”
The announcement comes as the Prime Minister prepares to announce the next easing of restrictions in England later this afternoon.
Here's everything you need to know about the vaccines:
What is the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine?
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for use in the UK on 2 December 2020. Britain was the first country in the world to approve the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19. Pfizer is an American pharmaceutical firm while BioNTech is a German biotechnology company. While it is currently being rolled out across the UK, the vaccine is very delicate and has to be stored at -70 degrees, limiting the number of sites that can administer the jab.
What is the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine?
A vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca became the second vaccine approved for UK use on 30 December 2020. This vaccine is considered "the way out" of the pandemic in the UK, thanks to the fact it is easier to store than the Pfizer jab, making it well equipped for mass roll out. GPs and vaccination centres across the country began administering the jab in early January 2021. Under-40s in the UK will be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine due to small risks of very rare blood clots. Instead, under-40s will receive the Moderna or the Pfizer jab.
What is the Moderna vaccine?
The third vaccine approved for UK use on 8 January 2021 was developed by American firm Moderna. 24-year-old Elle Taylor from Wales became the first person in the UK to receive the Moderna jab in April. The Moderna vaccine is similar to the Pfizer jab in how it works but is easier to roll out as it can be stored at -20 degrees rather than -70.
Who was the first person to receive the Pfizer vaccine?
90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first patient in the world to be vaccinated against Covid-19 outside a clinical trial. She received her jab on 8 December 2020 at Coventry's University Hospital. Mrs Keenan, who lives in Coventry, became somewhat of a fashion influencer after the charity t-shirt she wore to her vaccination appointment sold out. Profits went towards buying Christmas presents for hospital patients. The grandmother advised everyone who was offered the vaccine to take it, saying "If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too."
Who was the first person to receive the Oxford vaccine?
Meanwhile, Brian Pinker from Oxford was first to receive the AstraZeneca jab outside of a clinical trial at the age of 82. Mr Pinker, who was vaccinated on 4 January 2021, praised the medical teams administering the vaccine, saying it would allow him to "really look forward" to celebrating his 48th wedding anniversary with wife Shirley later on in the year.
When will I receive the vaccine?
Vaccines are being administered according to vulnerability levels. First to be offered the jab were people in care homes and their carers, followed by those over 80 and health and social care workers. People aged 65 and above were next on the priority list and then high-risk adults under the age of 65 followed by moderate risk adults under 65. The vaccine was then be rolled out to people over 60, people over 55 and people over 50. The UK Government aims to offer vaccinations to everyone in the top nine priority groups by the end of May, and to every adult over the age of 18 by the end of July 2021.
How will I know when it's my turn to get vaccinated?
When it is your turn to receive the vaccination, you will be informed by the NHS. You should only attend vaccination sites if you have been told to do so. Vaccines are provided for free by the NHS and they will never ask for bank details. Find out more about vaccine scams here.