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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos lifts Covid-19 public health emergency

Marcos lifts Covid-19 public health emergency

Published Jul 22, 2023 06:20 am
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has finally lifted the State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines due to Covid-19, citing the decreasing trend in related deaths and hospitalizations and the high levels of population immunity to the virus.
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In his Proclamation No. 297, issued on July 21, 2023, the President ordered that all prior issuances effective only during the State of Public Health Emergency shall no longer be in effect. However, all emergency use authorization (EUA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall remain valid for one year to exhaust the remaining vaccines. "All agencies are enjoined to ensure that their policies, rules, and regulations shall take into consideration the lifting of the State of Public Health Emergency and to amend existing or promulgate new issuances, as may be appropriate," the proclamation read. In making his decision, Marcos cited in his proclamation the continued immunization and the decrease in the number of Covid-19 cases. He likewise noted the measures implemented by countries across the globe to reopen their borders and relax health and safety protocol requirements. Although Covid-19 remains a serious concern for specific demographics and requires continued public health response, Marcos said the country had maintained sufficient healthcare system capacity and low hospital bed utilization rates even after the liberalization of Covid-19 health protocols. The decision was made following the request of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on May 8, 2023. Former president Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation No. 922 in March 2020, placing the Philippines under a State of Public Health Emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Duterte's Executive Order (EO) No. 121 authorized the FDA to issue EUAs for coronavirus vaccines, which shall be valid only during the declared public health emergency. Last May, the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the decreasing trend in covid-19 deaths, the decline in Covid-19-related hospitalizations and intensive care unit admission, and the high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus determined that Covid-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern and advised the transition to long-term management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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