WHO downgrades Covid pandemic, says it's no longer a global health emergency

Covid-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, the World Health Organisaiton (WHO)declared on Friday.

"It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID19 over as a global health emergency,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General
Of WHO.


The decision he said was taken after the emergency committee reviewed the situation and recommended declaring an end of public health emergency of International concern.

“I have accepted that advice,” he said adding aword of caution. “However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat Last week, COVID-19 claimed a life every three minutes – and that’s just the deaths we know about”.

Tedros said that the Emergency Committee – and WHO – have been analysing the data carefully and considering when the time would be right to lower the level of alarm.

“For more than a year, the pandemic has been on a downward trend, with population immunity increasing from vaccination and infection, mortality decreasing and the pressure on health systems easing. This trend has allowed most countries to return to life as we knew it before”.

What this news means is that it is time for countries to transition from emergency mode to managing Covid alongside other infectious diseases"