Is global Covid crisis ending? WHO discusses when and how to make the call
Story highlights
The Geneva-based WHO has, however, said it is not currently considering any such declaration. The deliberations at the agency look to come up with the conditions, which would eventually signal that coronavirus-induced public health emergency is over
The public health experts at World Health Organisation (WHO) have begun to discuss how and when to call for an end to the Covid crisis.
This comes as the world is witnessing a surge in the number of coronavirus cases in different parts of the world after its emergence two years ago.
The Geneva-based WHO has, however, said it is not currently considering any such declaration, according to a report in Bloomberg news agency.
Also Read: This is why some people develop life-threatening COVID-19, while others get no symptoms at all
The deliberations at the agency look to come up with the conditions, which would eventually signal that coronavirus-induced public health emergency is over.
The emergency was declared on January 30, 2020.
In an email, the agency, said, “The International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Covid is looking at the criteria needed to declare the public health emergency of international concern as terminated. As of now, we are not there yet.”
This kind of a declaration would not just be a meaningful symbolic step, but would also add momentum to the rollback of many pandemic-era restrictions.
The researchers have also warned even if Covid cases fall to lower levels, the disease may still cause thousands of deaths annually.
(With inputs from agencies)