WHO Declares COVID-19 No Longer a Public Health Emergency

LAS VEGAS – After more than three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that the virus is no longer a public health emergency. The WHO initially declared COVID-19 a public health emergency in January 2020, and since then, over one million people in the United States have died from the virus. In Nevada, that number is over 12,000.

Dr. Christopher Choi, an M.D. at the Concierge Wellness Center in the Southwest Valley, said he still expects the virus to be around for a while. However, he has noticed that cases are now milder than earlier in the pandemic.

Despite this, Dr. Choi has noticed more people in Las Vegas getting infected with COVID-19, with the Omicron subvariant seeming to be the dominant strain. But he noted that unlike with the Alpha and Delta variants, fewer people are being hospitalized or dying.

Moving forward, Dr. Choi believes that COVID-19 will continue to be around, and that people should treat it like they would a cold or the flu.

Meanwhile, residents in Las Vegas are looking forward to a sense of normalcy, especially since the city is now an entertainment and sports capital. Many are cautious, however, and have changed their outlook on sanitation, exercising caution even in public spaces.

The Biden Administration plans to end federal COVID-19 public health emergencies on May 11th. Beginning on that day, federal employees will no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, according to the Department of Homeland Security, non-U.S. travelers will no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the U.S.

Credits: KTNV