The World Health Organisation said on Friday that Covid-19 pandemic was no longer considered a public health emergency of international concern.
The Director-General, WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, announced this in Geneva, while also lifting the highest alert level that can be imposed in the event of a threat, which has been in place for more than three years.
This came after more than three years of declaring the outbreak to be a Public health emergency of international concern in January 2020, about six weeks before characterising it as a pandemic.
WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee discussed the pandemic at its 15th meeting on Covid-19 and decided that the PHEIC declaration should come to an end.
It noted that during the transition, states parties were advised to continue following the issued temporary recommendations.
The global health body said while the global risk assessment remained high, there was evidence of reducing risks to human health driven mainly by high population-level immunity from infection, vaccination, or both; consistent virulence of currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-lineages compared to previously circulating Omicron sub-lineages; and improved clinical case management.
It noted that currently, 89 per cent of health workers and 82 per cent of adults over 60 years had completed the primary series (the initial one or two doses recommended as per the vaccine schedule), although coverage in priority groups varied in different regions.
It added that states would still be able to access vaccines and diagnostics, provided the manufacturers continue production.
It noted that COVAX would also continue to provide funded doses and delivery support throughout 2023 in line with demand.
