The world has been forever changed since the onset of the global COVID-19 health pandemic that brought businesses, employment, in-school instruction and life as we knew it to a screeching halt. But at the height of the spring season, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus officially declared the end to the global health emergency that shook the world more than three years ago.
The long-awaited decision was made after WHO’s COVID-19 emergency committee stressed the “decreasing trend” in hospitalizations and deaths, combined with high counts of population immunity against the virus.
“I have accepted that advice. It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” Tedros announced. “It is time for countries to transition from emergency mode to managing COVID-19 alongside other infectious diseases.”
Despite the announcement, the organization emphasized that COVID-19 still remains to be a global health threat, as the current status of the viral infection requires countries to not discard the issue, but cautiously screen for potential threats of the viral infection.
Following the major announcement, DC Health is officially ceasing operations of their DC CAN COVID-19 Exposure Notification System on May 11.
