UK coronavirus alert level downgraded – does this affect Wales?

The UK’s coronavirus alert level has been downgraded from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3.

The downgrade was agreed by Wales’ Chief Medical Officer Frank Atherton, alongside his counterparts in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as the National Medical Director of NHS England.

In a statement, they said the decision was based on advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre.

The statement went on to say: “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.”

But how does this affect Wales?

Wales has its own coronavirus alert levels in place, and completed its transition from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 last week.

In Wales, a four-tier system is in place, with Alert Level 4 the highest tier. The UK has a five-tier system, with Alert Level 5 the highest tier.

The UK’s Alert Level does not influence what restrictions are put in place and lifted in Wales, but instead explains the present status of coronavirus across the UK.

A Welsh Government spokesperson confirmed: “This alert system is not connected to Wales’ alert levels for regulations, it is for the status of Covid-19 across the whole of the UK.”

The current UK alert level suggests coronavirus “is in general circulation”. While at Alert Level 4, it indicated that “transmission is high or rising exponentially”.

Welsh Government will meet on May 13 to discuss coronavirus restrictions in Wales.

What are the UK’s coronavirus alert levels?

Level 1: Covid-19 is not known to be present in the UK;

Level 2: Covid-19 is present in 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.

_{Source: UK Government}

Vaccination progress in Wales

The percentage of people in Wales who have received their first and second vaccine is broken down below:

Care home residents: 97.8% first dose; 90.1% second dose

Care home workers: 90.9% first dose; 79.1% second dose

Healthcare workers: 94.7% first dose; 83.8% second dose

Social care workers: 45,341 first dose; 38,698 second dose

Aged 80 and above: 95.6% first dose; 90.3% second dose

Aged 75-79: 96.3% first dose; 91.4% second dose

Aged 70-74: 95.7% first dose; 89.6% second dose

Clinically extremely vulnerable people aged 16-69 : 93.3% first dose; 78.6% second dose

Aged 65-69: 94% first dose; 57.8% second dose

Clinical risk groups aged 16 to 64: 85.6% first dose; 10.6% second dose

Aged 60-64: 91.5% first dose; 24.5% second dose

Aged 55-59: 89.2% first dose; 19.9% second dose

Aged 50-54: 86.9% first dose; 18.1% second dose

Aged 40-49: 76.6% first dose; 15% second dose

Aged 30-39: 51.4% first dose; 11.6% second dose

Aged 18-29: 33.1% first dose; 8.5% second dose

_{Source: Public Health Wales}