World Health Organization on Friday declared COVID no longer a global health emergency. "The COVID-19 global health emergency is over, even as 1 person dies from the disease every 3 minutes, World Health Organization says."
And, just hours later, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, a respected infectious disease physician who led the Biden administration’s pandemic response, announced she is stepping down as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on June 30.
Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota noted the US is still witnessing 1,000 deaths from COVID every week. “Just because the emergencies have been lifted, doesn’t mean that we’re out in the clear, because I still think that those 1,000 cases a day are people’s loved ones, or moms and dads or brothers and sisters,” he said. “If we can do something [to keep] those cases from occurring, and assuring they don’t die, that’s a huge benefit to society.”
Many countries, including Britain, France, Germany and the U.S., have long already dropped many of their pandemic-era restrictions. The U.S. will be ending its public health emergency next Thursday, which Dr. Rochelle Walensky cited Friday in announcing her decision to leave as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention next month.
IS COVID-19 STILL A PANDEMIC?
Yes. Although WHO chief Tedros said the coronavirus emergency was over, he warned that the virus is here to stay and that thousands of people continue to die every week. “The risk remains of new variants emerging that cause new surges in cases and deaths,” Tedros said.
"In April, there were nearly 3 million cases and more than 17,000 deaths reported the United Nations agency noted."
SO WHEN WILL THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC END?
It's unclear. WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said the coronavirus is still a public health threat and that its continued evolution could yet cause future problems.
DO WE STILL NEED TO TAKE COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS?
“Yes. Health officials say the virus isn't going anywhere and advise people to get vaccinated, including getting booster doses if they qualify. Although many of the measures seen at the height of the pandemic — including masks and social distancing — aren't required except in certain settings, like hospitals or nursing homes, officials say people with other health conditions or compromised immune systems may still want to continue with some of those precautions.
“Simon Clarke, an associate professor of microbiology at Britain's University of Reading, warned against people dropping all COVID-19 protections. “The message to the public should still be to take care and think of others. If you’re ill with a respiratory infection, like a bad cough, don’t put others at risk, especially not those who are vulnerable,” he said. “If you pass on a COVID infection, no one will thank you. If you're fit and young, COVID can still be nasty and if you're old and frail, it can kill you.”
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the true world COVID death toll was "likely" close to 20 million deaths - nearly three times the official estimate - and he warned that the virus remained a significant threat.
However, it will now be up to individual countries to continue to manage Covid in the way they think best.
"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," Dr Tedros said.
When the disease was proven to disproportionately effect the older and immune compromised, most younger Americans long ago left COVID behind in their thoughts. In America, we live in a mostly “ME FIRST: WHO CARES ABOUT OTHERS?” society.
Meanwhile, “many Americans do still remain cautious, masking even when outside, continuing to test at the slightest hint of illness and avoiding large indoor gatherings. Though they are a dwindling minority, they believe that Americans too easily forsook the vulnerable — the elderly, people with weak immune systems — because they wanted to pack into restaurants and sports arenas again.”
“The end of the WHO emergency may embolden any who may still accept any remaining vestiges of pandemic life. A latent desire by all persists to return to the world as it was in 2019, before anyone had ever thought of KN-95 face masks.
“That world, however, is gone.”
The most vulnerable are now totally on their own concerning life or death…
With the stop of all COVID reporting, it will now be next to impossible to tell if going out in a community will be relatively “safe” or if the vulnerable should instead “shelter in place” to best protect themselves. For them, the world may now be more dangerous than it was a year ago.
