The World Health Organisation stated the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a global health emergency. Read to know more.
Covid is no longer a global health emergency
On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO), stated the coronavirus pandemic is not a global health emergency anymore. “Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I’ve accepted that advice. It’s therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” stated Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Ghebreyesus is the chief of WHO.
In the statement, Tedros estimated the pandemic to “at least 20 million” lives, three times the official estimate. The announcement is following the independent emergency committee meeting on Thursday. In the 15th meeting, the committee agreed that the covid-19 crisis no longer merits the highest level of organizations.
More on the statement
Additionally, the WHO chief warned that the announcement did not mean the threat no longer exists. Covid was first declared as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) by the UN health agency on January 30, 2020. The decision was moved weeks following the discovery of the mysterious viral disease in China.
Ghebreyesus also cautioned people on the chances of reinstating the status if the situation changes. “However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat. The worst thing any country could do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about,” stated Ghebreyesus.