COVID-19: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday (May 5) declared the end of COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern. WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement while addressing a media briefing on COVID-19 and global health issues. However, the WHO said that the emergency phase is over but the pandemic is not over.
“I declare COVID-19 as a global health emergency”
“It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 a global health emergency. However, this does not mean that COVID-19 as a global health threat is over,” he said.
The United Nations health agency said that thousands of people are still dying every week from the virus. “Last week, COVID-19 claimed one life every three minutes – and we only know about the deaths,” said the WHO director-general.
Virus caused 764 million cases globally
When the United Nations health agency first declared the coronavirus an international crisis on January 30, 2020, it had not yet been named COVID-19 and there were no major outbreaks outside China. More than three years later, the virus has caused an estimated 764 million cases globally and nearly 5 billion people have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
“1221 days ago, WHO became aware of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, China. On 30 January 2020, on the advice of an Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations, I declared an International Public Health Emergency Concern over the global outbreak of COVID-19 – the highest level of alarm under international law,” Tedros said.
In the US, the public health emergency declaration regarding COVID-19 is set to expire on May 11, when broad measures to support the pandemic response, including the vaccine mandate, expire. Several other countries, including Germany, France and Britain, last year removed many of their provisions against the pandemic. When Tedros declared COVID-19 an emergency in 2020, he said his greatest fear was the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems, which he described as “less prepared”.
COVID-19 has caused serious social upheaval
The WHO chief said the pandemic has been on a downward trend for more than a year, acknowledging that most countries have already returned to life before Covid-19. He said the virus has shattered businesses and plunged millions into poverty.
“For more than a year, the epidemic has been on a downward trend, with vaccination and infection increasing population immunity, reducing mortality and reducing pressure on health systems. This trend has enabled most countries to return to life. is allowed as we knew before,” he said. Tedros further said that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe social upheaval, with borders closed, movement restricted, schools closed and millions of people experiencing loneliness, isolation, anxiety and depression. are doing.
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