President Joe Biden has announced plans to terminate the coronavirus-related national public health emergency declaration from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on May 11th. This announcement effectively ends the national public health emergency that was declared in January 2020 and brings the US one step closer to the end of the pandemic.
Though cases of COVID-19 have drastically declined in the US over the past few months, Biden stressed that this is not the end of the pandemic nor the end of the government’s response to the virus. The CDC is continuing to monitor the virus and is taking steps to ensure that the nation is prepared for any resurgence.
The end of the emergency declaration means that the millions of Americans who were granted emergency relief due to the pandemic will no longer receive it. This includes emergency unemployment benefits, access to emergency child care and health care resources, and extended unemployment benefits.
Biden has said that the end of the emergency declaration will not impact the government’s response to COVID-19, and he has urged Congress to pass additional relief measures to keep Americans safe and secure.
The end of the emergency declaration is a significant milestone for the US as it moves closer to the end of the pandemic. While much work remains to be done to protect the nation from COVID-19, the termination of the emergency declaration is a sign of hope for a return to normalcy.
The end of the emergency declaration is also an important reminder that the pandemic is not over yet and that the government needs to continue to take steps to ensure that Americans are safe and healthy. The CDC has encouraged Americans to continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and stay home when possible. It is also important for Americans to get vaccinated when they are eligible.
The termination of the emergency declaration is expected to have a positive effect on the economy as businesses can begin to reopen and the government can begin to provide additional relief. The end of the emergency declaration is an optimistic sign of the progress that has been made in the fight against COVID.