Covid-19 is NO LONGER a global emergency, says WHO

The World Health Organization has announced that Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency. The pandemic was discussed at the 15th meeting on Covid-19 by the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Thursday. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus agreed that the public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, declaration should end.

Tedros stated at a news conference on Friday that "for more than a year the pandemic has been on a downward trend," allowing most countries to return to life as we knew it before Covid-19. He accepted the advice of the emergency committee, which recommended that he declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern.

The United States is also set to let its Covid-19 public health emergency end on May 11. While Covid-19 continues to spread, WHO officials stated that the virus is evolving and remains a global health threat, but at a lower level of concern.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead and head of its program on emerging disease, said that the emergency phase of the Covid-19 crisis is over but the disease is "here to stay" and the coronavirus that causes the disease is not going away any time soon. Epidemiologically, this virus will continue to cause waves, and we must remain vigilant.

Tedros said that he would not hesitate to convene another emergency committee meeting and declare a global health emergency again if there is a significant rise in Covid-19 cases or deaths in the future. Covid-19 has left deep scars on our world, and we must learn from our mistakes and ensure that we are better prepared for future pandemics.