Last Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it would lift the maximum alert level on the COVID-19 pandemic since it considers that the situation is sufficiently controlled. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared that “with great hope,” COVID-19 is no longer an international health emergency. However, the head of the WHO also estimated that the pandemic has caused “at least 20 million” deaths worldwide, which is almost three times more than the official balance of the organization, which registers just under 7 million deaths until May 3, 2023.
Despite the uncertainties that remain about the evolution of the virus, the experts consulted by the director general of the WHO consider that it is time to move to long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic. It should be remembered that the WHO declared the highest alert level on January 30, 2020, a few weeks after the detection in China of the first cases of this respiratory viral disease, when there was still no specific treatment.
Although the news is a relief to many, it is still important to remember that the pandemic is not over and that continued measures are needed to keep the situation under control. Vaccination campaigns and the use of preventive measures, such as the use of masks and social distancing, are expected to continue to be necessary in the future to prevent the spread of the virus and keep the population safe.