SEATTLE — The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the “symbolic end” of the COVID-19 pandemic – downgrading its status as a “global emergency” and Washington state will follow suit with the Public Health emergency officially ending in less than one week.
“This has not been easy as you all know this has been a long tiring road for all,” said Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shaw.
Shaw maintains the fight against COVID-19 is not over – it continues with a new strategy.
“Here we are 12 hundred days later announcing the public health emergency declaration is currently scheduled to expire on May 11th of 2023,” Shaw continued.
On Jan. 20, 2020, in Snohomish County, Wash. the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the United States. Ten days later, the first recorded case of a person-to-person spread is recorded in the US. By mid-March, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic and that lasted until Friday.
In Washington, state officials are preparing for the end of the “Public Health Emergency” on May 11. Among the changes, the state will discontinue its “COVID Notification App” and soon the vaccine will be treated like most others – meaning it will be purchased by manufacturers and distributed by healthcare providers.
Medicaid will continue covering all vaccines including the COVID-19 vaccine and the federal government is still distributing free vaccines as long as supplies last.
“Washingtonians did their part and for that, we should be so incredibly proud of how our state and our communities all came together in the midst of this public health emergency,” Shaw continued.
The Department of Health says it sent out more than 15 million test kits and administered more than 16 million doses of the vaccine. They say those measures saved lives.
“We should all be proud of what this state accomplished,” Shaw continued.