Covid global health emergency is over, WHO says

butterscotch · 6 May 2023 03:19

The WHO is calling an end to the global health emergency. That doesn’t mean that covid is gone or that precautions shouldn’t be taken.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a “global health emergency”.

The statement represents a major step towards ending the pandemic and comes three years after it first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.

Officials said the virus’ death rate had dropped from a peak of more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on 24 April.

The head of the WHO said at least seven million people died in the pandemic.

He added that the decision had been considered carefully for some time and made on the basis of careful analysis of data.

But he warned the removal of the highest level of alert did not mean the danger was over and said the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.

“The worst thing any country can 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,” he said.

brokenvows · 6 May 2023 14:42

I don`t believe that for one minute butterscotch.
I know of Two people who have the new variant,and they are very poorly.

Ripple · 6 May 2023 16:59

I don’t trust that message either .
It’s still out there and probably always will be .
Jabs & gel, face masks on public transport.

Chilliboot · 6 May 2023 17:16

It certainly is still out there. Several people are off with it in one of my places of work.

butterscotch · 7 May 2023 11:10

I just want to make clear that the message is NOT that covid is over. The message is that it is no longer a global health crisis.

As I posted in the OP, this does NOT mean that covid is over, and precautions should still be taken with guidance from each country’s health organization.