While COVID-19 is no longer classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), it continues to impact global health substantially. To address these effects, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European division is launching a transition plan to move forward following the pandemic. The framework encompasses a five-year plan that aims to strengthen emergency preparedness, response resilience, and overall safety precautions.
Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, regional director for WHO Europe, stated, “[w]hile the international public health emergency may have ended, the pandemic certainly has not.” Dr. Kluge emphasizes the importance of creating new policies based on past successes and failures in society. “Using the momentum built since 2020, now is the time to invest and sustain the gains made during the pandemic response and apply the lessons of this pandemic and other health emergencies,” stated Dr. Kluge.
Since January 2020, the virus has infected over 270 million people and killed more than 2.2 million across Europe and Central Asia. There is still a risk of more transmissible and severe variants emerging. Continued monitoring of the virus is crucial for combating future variants or pandemics. WHO Europe is committed to learning from past successes and failures and developing new policies and frameworks that prevent similar crises in the future.
By Justin Goldberg