Written by Aniza Shabbir
Edited by Jarrin Ahmed
On May 11, 2023, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Chief of the World Health Organization, declared an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency, which had first been made on January 30, 2020. On May 4, 2023, members of the International Health Regulations (IHR) emergency committee met to discuss the trends of the pandemic; in particular, the decline in COVID-19-related deaths, hospital, and emergency care unit admissions. It was concluded that the current variants of the virus, such as SARS-CoV-2, do not have a positive correlation with the severity of the pandemic.
CDC Updates
While Covid vaccines, treatments, and testing centers will remain, several data collection strategies by the CDC will now differ, or be removed from practice. The following 6 metrics will remain the same: (1) Hospitals will still be required to report data regarding COVID-19 admissions; (2) The National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) will report deaths associated with the virus weekly; (3) Patient visits in emergency departments will further be posted on weekly-basis; (4) Test positivity data will be retrieved from the NREVSS; (5) Wastewater and genomic surveillance will remain to follow transmission or any mutations; (6) Administrations of the vaccine will be reported monthly rather than weekly. An additional metric that will be added is tracking Covid-19 associated deaths, although the COVID-19 data tracker will no longer highlight cases or deaths. Furthermore, test positivity data from CELR will no longer be available nationally or regionally, as laboratories are no longer required to report test results.
What’s next
Despite Ghebreyesus stating that the pandemic “has been on a downward trend” with increasing immunity, he also emphasized that the ending of COVID-19 as a public health emergency does not equate to the pandemic no longer being a threat (United Nations). This is because the virus has not been downgraded in its classification as a pandemic; in spite of it being considered the same as any other transmissible disease, countless cases are still being tracked globally. The International Health Regulations Emergency Committee has advised that the pandemic be managed long-term instead (WHO). Therefore, while acknowledging the notable milestone after 3 years, research should continue to be supported, and public health and safety measures should continue to be promoted.
What this means for NYC
New York City has established that COVID-19 services and care will persist. Due to national trends, however, there will be a decrease in the frequency of information reported on the virus. In an article written by Sharon Otterman for The New York Times, the city will continue distributing take-home coronavirus tests without charge, offering low-cost or free care for individuals without insurance, and vaccines will remain free for almost all New Yorkers, considering the Affordable Care Act. Furthermore, the NYC Vaccine Finder website will still be maintained, and Paxlovid, the antiviral oral medication for the virus can still be prescribed virtually.
Take Action: Use the resources provided below to find a COVID-19 vaccination or testing site near you.
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References
"End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency." Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, May 25, 2023
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/end-of-phe.html.
Otterman, Sharon. "New York City Lifts COVID Public Health Emergency." The
New York Times, 10 May 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/nyregion/covid-public-health-emergency-end-nyc. html.
"Statement on the Fifteenth Meeting of the International Health Regulations
(2005) Emergency Committee Regarding the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic." World Health Organization, 5 May 2023, https://www.who.int/news/item/05-05-2023-statement-on-the-fifteenth-meeting-of-the-int
ernational-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-coronavirus-di sease-(covid-19)-pandemic.
"WHO chief declares end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency." UN News,
United Nations, 17 May 2023, https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136367.