WHO Emergency Committee Maintains COVID-19 Public Health Emergency... Prolonged Duration Expected

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to persist, it has decided to maintain the 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)' that was enacted last January.

On the 1st (local time), WHO unanimously agreed to maintain the PHEIC at an emergency committee meeting held the previous day at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, stating that COVID-19 still qualifies as a PHEIC, the highest alert level for infectious diseases. This emergency committee was convened six months after the PHEIC was enacted on January 30.

The emergency committee expects the COVID-19 pandemic to continue long-term and emphasized the ongoing response efforts by countries and the international community. It also recommended that countries improve understanding of the animal origins and epidemiology of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), develop safe and effective treatments and vaccines, and support equitable access to them.

It also proposed preparations for the simultaneous occurrence of diseases such as COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, and the provision of appropriate guidelines to reduce fatigue from COVID-19 responses. Additionally, it urged countries to strengthen detection, testing, and tracing functions for COVID-19 cases, and to implement appropriate travel measures and advisories based on risk assessments.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.