The esteemed Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) cordially transmits the 15th meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic held on May 4th, 2023. The Committee members discussed the decreasing trend in COVID-19 deaths, the decline in COVID-19 related hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions, and the high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2. However, the Committee also acknowledged the uncertainties posed by the potential evolution of SARS-CoV-2.
The Director-General agrees with the Committee’s advice to transition to the long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic, although he expressed concern about the decline in surveillance reporting to WHO, inequitable access to life-saving interventions, and the growth of pandemic fatigue. The Director-General determined that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and thanked the Committee for their engagement and advice over the last three years.
The Director-General announced the publication of the 2023-2025 COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, which will guide countries in transitioning to long-term management of COVID-19. This plan outlines five areas: collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to countermeasures, and emergency coordination.
The Chair of the Emergency Committee, Professor Didier Houssin, introduced the objectives of the meeting, which were to provide views to the WHO Director-General on whether the COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute a PHEIC and to review Temporary Recommendations to States Parties. While the global risk assessment remains high, the Committee found evidence of reducing risks to human health driven mainly by high population-level immunity from infection, vaccination, or both.
The Committee was informed that 13.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally. Currently, 89% of health workers and 82% of adults over 60 years have completed the primary series recommended by the vaccine schedule, although coverage in these priority groups varies in different regions.
The WHO Secretariat provided overviews of the status of integration of COVID-19 surveillance into the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System and opportunities to streamline this. They also presented the process for issuing Standing Recommendations under the IHR, and the potential regulatory implications for Emergency Use Listed (EUL) when a PHEIC is terminated.
The Director-General will convene an IHR Review Committee to advise on Standing Recommendations for the long-term management of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, taking into account the 2023-2025 COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. During this transition, States Parties are advised to continue following the issued Temporary Recommendations.
Quotes:
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “There continues to be inequitable access to life-saving interventions, and that pandemic fatigue continues to grow.”
Professor Didier Houssin, Chair of the Emergency Committee: “There is evidence of reducing risks to human health driven mainly by high population-level immunity from infection, vaccination, or both.”
