On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that COVID-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). This decision was based on the recommendation of the WHO's International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, which met for the 15th time on COVID-19.
The committee noted that the pandemic has been on a downward trend for more than a year and that most countries have returned to life as we knew it before COVID-19.
First, it's important to understand what a global health emergency is. According to the WHO, a global health emergency is an "extraordinary event" that poses a risk to public health on an international scale.
When the WHO declares a global health emergency, it triggers an international response to contain and address the outbreak. This can include travel restrictions, increased research and development funding, and medical personnel deployment to affected areas.
The WHO declared COVID-19 a global health emergency on January 30, 2020. At that time, the outbreak was primarily confined to China, but there were concerns about the potential for the virus to spread rapidly and cause significant harm worldwide. Since then, COVID-19 has spread to virtually every corner of the globe, infecting millions and causing substantial disruptions to daily life.
So why has the WHO declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency? In short, the organization believes that the pandemic is better understood and that countries are better equipped to respond to it. WHO has noted that COVID-19 remains a significant threat, particularly in countries with low vaccination rates or weak healthcare systems.
However, the organization believes that the situation no longer warrants the same level of international attention and resources that it did in the early days of the outbreak.
But what does this mean for the global population? Does it mean that the pandemic is over? Not exactly. Here are some key points to understand about the WHO's update.
- A PHEIC is the highest level of alert that the WHO can declare for a health crisis. It means that the situation poses a serious risk to public health and requires a coordinated international response. The WHO said COVID-19 a PHEIC on January 30, 2020, when there were fewer than 10,000 confirmed cases and less than 300 deaths worldwide. Since then, the pandemic has infected more than 765 million people and killed nearly 7 million people globally, according to WHO data.
- Ending the PHEIC does not mean that COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic. A pandemic is a term that describes the worldwide spread of a new disease. WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, and this status remains unchanged. The WHO's new strategy is to transition from an emergency response to longer-term sustained COVID disease management, which means that countries must adapt to living with the virus and preventing its transmission and impact.
- Ending the PHEIC also does not mean that COVID-19 is no longer an emergency in individual countries. Each country has the authority to declare and end a national public health emergency, depending on its situation and needs. Some countries, such as Malaysia, have already announced an end to their national troubles. In contrast, others may continue to do so until they achieve sufficient levels of vaccination and control of the virus.
- The WHO's decision reflects the progress in fighting the pandemic, especially in developing and distributing effective vaccines. More than 6 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally, according to WHO data, and many countries have seen significant declines in cases and deaths. However, there are still considerable disparities in vaccine access and coverage among regions and countries, and some parts of the world still face surges of infections and variants of concern.
- The WHO's decision also acknowledges the challenges and uncertainties in dealing with the pandemic. The virus continues evolving and poses new threats, such as the Arcturus variant that emerged in early 2023. The long-term effects of COVID-19 on health and society are still unknown and require further research and monitoring. The social and economic impacts of the pandemic are also profound and lasting, affecting millions of people's livelihoods, education, mental health and well-being.
In summary, the WHO's announcement that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency is a milestone in the history of the pandemic, but it does not mean that we can let our guard down or forget about the lessons we have learned. We still need to follow public health measures, such as wearing masks, social distancing, testing, tracing, isolating, getting vaccinated and treating cases.
We still need to support global efforts to ensure equitable access and delivery of vaccines and other essential health services. We still need to work together to build back better and stronger from this unprecedented crisis. We may be entering a new phase of the pandemic, but we are not out of the woods yet.
Kamarul Azwan is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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