The UK’s COVID alert level has been downgraded from level three to two.

The change was recommended by the four UK’s chief medical officers, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

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

The chief medical officers 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.

“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.”

In a statement, the chief medical officers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland warned that further COVID surges were still “likely”, and people should be “prepared by getting a vaccination when it is offered”.

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