Topline
The Biden administration will bring the years-long Covid-19 emergency declarations to an end on May 11, the White House announced Monday, as part of a pivot to treat the coronavirus as an endemic seasonal threat that comes days after the FDA proposed an overhaul of its vaccination strategy.
People wear mask after New York City’s health officials have issued an advisory, strongly urging New … [+]
Key Facts
Covid-19 national emergency and public health emergency declarations went into effect in 2020 under former President Donald Trump’s Administration and both have since been extended multiple times by President Joe Biden, allowing for wide access to free vaccines, tests and treatments.
The national emergency was set to expire on March 1, while the health emergency was set to end on April 11, however, the White House decided to extend both until May 11 before ending them.
The emergencies are being kept in place until May as an abrupt end would lead to “wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system,” the Office of Management and Budget said in an administration policy statement.
The public health emergency’s expiration would also put an end to the Title 42 border policy has been used to expel asylum seekers entering the country from the southern border with Mexico.
The White House’s statement comes just a day before the Republican-controlled House is set to vote on a bill called the “Pandemic Is Over Act,” seeking to immediately end the public health emergency.
What To Watch For
The cost of tests, vaccines and treatments are likely to rise sharply once the government ends the dual emergency declarations. In an investor call last year, Pfizer indicated it plans to charge between $110-130 per dose for its Covid-19 vaccines.
Big Number
3,756. That is the number of Americans who died from Covid-19 in the week ending January 25, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC). Covid-19 remains a deadly disease, killing on average more than 500 people every day and more than 1.1 million people in the U.S.
Key Background
On Monday, the World Health Organization said the pandemic is nearing a “transition point,” but warned that the disease will remain a threat that can cause “substantial damage to health and health systems.” The WHO is still keeping its global health emergency, although Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “we’re in a far better situation now” compared to the same period last year. The global body added that higher levels of immunity from the virus have been achieved across the world through either previous infections or vaccination, which may blunt the impact of the virus. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration proposed streamlining the current vaccination process with a single dose of the latest formulation of the vaccine every year—regardless of prior vaccination history.
Further Reading
Pandemic Nears ‘Transition’ Point—But It’s Still A Global Health Emergency, WHO Warns (Forbes)
President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11 (Associated Press)
U.S. Plans to End Public Health Emergency for Covid in May (New York Times)
Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus
