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DOH Welcomes WHO's Lifting Of Global Health Emergency
Photo credit: WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has transmitted its report on the 15th meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meeting was held on Thursday, May 4th, 2023, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET. During the meeting, the Committee members discussed the current situation of COVID-19 and noted the decreasing trend in COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit admissions. They also highlighted the high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2.
The Committee's position has been evolving over the last several months, and they advised that it is time to transition to long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a significant shift from their previous position of deeming the pandemic a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). While acknowledging the remaining uncertainties posed by the potential evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the Committee members deemed it necessary to shift towards long-term management of the pandemic.
The WHO Director-General concurred with the advice offered by the Committee and determined that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue that no longer constitutes a PHEIC. This decision reflects the significant progress made in controlling the spread of the virus and reducing the impact of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) has welcomed the WHO's proclamation regarding the lifting of the PHEIC on COVID-19. The DOH sees this as an acknowledgment of the effective and collaborative COVID-19 response and the concerted efforts to fully recover and re-open the economy.
The DOH will convene the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to discuss and reassess policies and other guidelines affected by the declaration.
The meeting was held on Thursday, May 4th, 2023, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET. During the meeting, the Committee members discussed the current situation of COVID-19 and noted the decreasing trend in COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit admissions. They also highlighted the high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2.
The Committee's position has been evolving over the last several months, and they advised that it is time to transition to long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a significant shift from their previous position of deeming the pandemic a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). While acknowledging the remaining uncertainties posed by the potential evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the Committee members deemed it necessary to shift towards long-term management of the pandemic.
The WHO Director-General concurred with the advice offered by the Committee and determined that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue that no longer constitutes a PHEIC. This decision reflects the significant progress made in controlling the spread of the virus and reducing the impact of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) has welcomed the WHO's proclamation regarding the lifting of the PHEIC on COVID-19. The DOH sees this as an acknowledgment of the effective and collaborative COVID-19 response and the concerted efforts to fully recover and re-open the economy.
The DOH will convene the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to discuss and reassess policies and other guidelines affected by the declaration.
May 6, 2023
