COVID-19 is still a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

Just on January 30, the World Health Organization issued a statement saying that although the COVID-19 may be approaching a turning point, it still constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern".

The WHO Emergency Committee held a routine quarterly assessment meeting on the COVID-19 on January 27.

The WHO said in a statement that the Committee had made a series of recommendations to the Director-General on the current epidemic situation and future prevention and control.

The Director-General adopted the recommendations and announced on the same day that the COVID-19 still constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern."

This is the highest level of alert that WHO can issue under the International Health Regulations.

Committee members expressed concern about the continued risks posed by COVID-19, given that the death toll from COVID-19 remains high compared with other respiratory infectious diseases,

and vaccine coverage remains insufficient in low- and middle-income countries and among high-risk groups globally. There is still uncertainty about the emergence of new variants of the virus.

The committee said that the COVID-19 may be approaching a turning point, but the COVID-19 is still a dangerous infectious disease that can cause significant damage to human health and national health systems.

SARS-CoV-2 will remain a persistent pathogen in humans and animals for the foreseeable future. The committee called for long-term public health action to prioritize the reduction of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.