CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Department of Health (DOH) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has set a meeting to reassess policies and guidelines in line with
the United Nations agency's declaration.
This, after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially ended the global health emergency of international concern status for Covid-19 on Friday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the declaration of the end to the emergency status means Covid-19 is no longer a global health threat.
"It is therefore with great hope that I declare Covid-19 over as a global health emergency, "Tedros said in a report posted on the WHO's website.
DOH said it will convene the members of the IATF-EID to look into policies and other guidelines affected by the WHO announcement.
"WHO's proclamation "s an acknowledgment of our effective and collaborative Covid-19 response and concerted efforts to fully recover and reopen our economy," the DOH said, adding that all factors determining its next action would be considered and discussed for the approval of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
Since January 3, 2020, the DOH has recorded 4,092,158 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 66,444 deaths nationwide, while fully vaccinated individuals stood at more than 78.4 million as of March 20, 2020.
Tedros stressed that the "end of the emergency did not mean Covid-19 was over as a global 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,” Tedros said, acknowledging that although Covid-19 has been and will continue circulating widely and evolving, "it is no longer an unusual or unexpected event."
"But the end of the global health emergency status means it is time for countries to transition from emergency mode to managing COVID-19 alongside other infectious diseases,” he added.
The WHO stressed that it will be critical to address the gaps recognised during the pandemic.
It highlighted the need to strengthen health systems, continue active risk communications and community engagement, implement a One Health approach to preparedness and response, and integrate COVID-19 surveillance and response activities into routine health programmes, plus dedicating sustained attention and resources to preparedness and resilience for emerging threats.