What Emergency Declarations Can (and Can’t) Do in a Pandemic
55 years ago

What Emergency Declarations Can (and Can’t) Do in a Pandemic

Wired  

The turn of the 21st century has brought a number of public health threats from emerging infectious diseases, such as SARS, MERS, Influenza H1N1, Ebola, and Zika. Emergency Public Health Powers US public health and disaster management authorities have unleashed a bevy of emergency powers at unprecedented levels since the inception of domestic cases of Covid-19. On January 31, one day after the World Health Organization issued a public health emergency of international concern, Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar declared a national public health emergency. According to the Network for Public Health Law as of today, 35 states have declared Covid-19 an emergency, disaster, or PHE, enveloping more than 248 million Americans. Some states’ emergency declarations confer paid sick and safe time benefits to individuals adhering to public health measures or require insurers to cover costs of Covid-19 tests.

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History of this topic

WHO declares 2024 mpox surge a 'public health emergency of international concern'
4 months, 4 weeks ago

WHO declares 2024 mpox surge a 'public health emergency of international concern'

NPR  

WHO declares 2024 mpox surge a 'public health emergency of international concern' The World Health Organization has declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern. Dr. Boghuma Titanji, assistant professor of medicine at Emory University, said in a statement that the declaration is "a crucial step toward enhancing coordination among African countries to address the ongoing mpox outbreak." We …

Alarmed by mpox surge, Africa CDC declares a 'continental emergency'
5 months ago

Alarmed by mpox surge, Africa CDC declares a 'continental emergency'

NPR  

Alarmed by mpox surge, Africa CDC declares a 'continental emergency' toggle caption Arlette Bashizi/Reuters The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has never done anything like this before. On Tuesday, the agency declared a “public health emergency of continental security.” Their concern is mpox. Dr. Boghuma Titanji, assistant professor of medicine at Emory University, called the declaration “a crucial …

Coronavirus FAQ: 'Emergency' over! Do we unmask and grin? Or adjust our worries?
1 year, 7 months ago

Coronavirus FAQ: 'Emergency' over! Do we unmask and grin? Or adjust our worries?

NPR  

Coronavirus FAQ: 'Emergency' over! Thomas Bollyky, senior fellow for global health, economics and development at the Council on Foreign Relations, says that a public health emergency is "really designed to spur international cooperation around a public health event that is serious, sudden, unexpected and requires immediate attention." Last week when the World Health Organization ended its 3-plus year Public Health …

Learn from missteps in Covid’s early days
1 year, 8 months ago

Learn from missteps in Covid’s early days

Hindustan Times  

Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency, the World Health Organization declared last week, roughly 1,200 days after it first learnt of a new coronavirus spreading through Wuhan, China. Still, WHO’s word is a strong determinant in global health discourse and on this count, the agency fell short in its mission, especially in the early days of the pandemic. …

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19
1 year, 8 months ago

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19

NPR  

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19 Enlarge this image toggle caption Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images The World Health Organization has lifted the Public Health Emergency of International Concern for COVID-19. In a press conference on Friday, director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "COVID-19 has been so much more than a health crisis, …

COVID no longer a global health emergency, WHO says
1 year, 8 months ago

COVID no longer a global health emergency, WHO says

Al Jazeera  

UN health agency declares end to public health emergency of international concern, in place for more than three years. COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a “global health emergency”, the World Health Organization says. “Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern,” WHO …

Biden ends COVID national emergency after Congress acts
1 year, 9 months ago

Biden ends COVID national emergency after Congress acts

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The U.S. national emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic ended Monday as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years — weeks before it was set to expire alongside a separate public health emergency. The national emergency allowed the government to take sweeping steps to respond to the …

President Joe Biden ends US Covid emergency status after 3 years
1 year, 9 months ago

President Joe Biden ends US Covid emergency status after 3 years

India Today  

The US national emergency to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic ended Monday as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years — weeks before it was set to expire alongside a separate public health emergency. The public health emergency — it underpins tough immigration restrictions at the US-Mexico border — is …

Biden ends COVID national emergency after Congress acts
1 year, 9 months ago

Biden ends COVID national emergency after Congress acts

LA Times  

President Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring the national emergency to respond to COVID-19 to an end. The U.S. national emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic ended Monday as President Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years — weeks before it was set to expire alongside a separate public …

Opinion: The COVID ‘emergency’ is ending. Here’s who will be hurt most
1 year, 10 months ago

Opinion: The COVID ‘emergency’ is ending. Here’s who will be hurt most

LA Times  

Free COVID tests may no longer be available to people without insurance after the federal declaration of emergency ends in May. They also addressed access issues — getting people insured — by expanding Affordable Care Act subsidies for exchange policies, offering a temporary Medicaid coverage option for uninsured people in 15 states, and by not disenrolling anyone from Medicaid in …

President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11
1 year, 11 months ago

President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared. Then-President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar first declared a public health emergency on Jan. 31, …

Biden administration to end COVID public health emergency in May
1 year, 11 months ago

Biden administration to end COVID public health emergency in May

Al Jazeera  

The move would restructure federal response to treat the virus as an endemic public health threat, ending some government support. United States President Joe Biden has informed Congress that his administration will formally end two national emergencies declared to address the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, restructuring the federal response to the virus as an endemic public health threat. “An …

WHO Emergency Committee Debates Covid-19 Emergency Status
1 year, 11 months ago

WHO Emergency Committee Debates Covid-19 Emergency Status

News 18  

The World Health Organization’s emergency committee on Covid-19 was meeting Friday to discuss whether the pandemic still merits the highest level of global alert. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus suggested the emergency phase of the pandemic is not over, pointing to surging numbers of deaths and warning that the global response to the crisis “remains hobbled”. “But the global response …

Lessons From COVID: What The World Needs to Learn to Tackle Future Pandemics
1 year, 11 months ago

Lessons From COVID: What The World Needs to Learn to Tackle Future Pandemics

The Quint  

The costly lesson from COVID: why elimination should be the default global strategy for future pandemics Getty Images Imagine it is 2030. An upgraded pandemic response to eliminate at source The process by which the WHO currently decides whether to declare a public health emergency of international concern has drawn criticism for being too slow. Elimination makes sense for other …

US extends Covid public health emergency as Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 spreads; how will it benefit Americans?
1 year, 11 months ago

US extends Covid public health emergency as Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 spreads; how will it benefit Americans?

Firstpost  

The Covid-19 public health emergency was first declared during the Trump administration in January 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic began Washington: The highly transmissible XBB.1.5 Omicron sub-variant has stoked concern that the US may face another wave of hospitalisation from the disease this winter. The Covid-19 public health emergency was first declared during the Trump administration in January 2020 when …

Biden administration extends COVID public health emergency
2 years, 2 months ago

Biden administration extends COVID public health emergency

LA Times  

White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha speaks during the daily briefing at the White House on Oct. 11. The Biden administration said Thursday that the COVID-19 public health emergency will continue through Jan. 11, as officials brace for a spike in cases this winter. The public health emergency, first declared in January 2020 under the Trump administration and renewed …

Biden’s comments about pandemic widen public health split over how US should respond to Covid-19
2 years, 3 months ago

Biden’s comments about pandemic widen public health split over how US should respond to Covid-19

CNN  

CNN — Even as the US prepares for a potential winter surge of Covid-19, President Biden roamed the cavernous halls of the Detroit Auto Show for an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” and, gesturing to the mostly maskless attendees, told the nation, “the pandemic is over.” “We still have a problem with Covid. “I think it’s sort of a term …

US declares public health emergency over monkeypox outbreak
2 years, 5 months ago

US declares public health emergency over monkeypox outbreak

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The federal government declared a public health emergency Thursday to bolster the response to the monkeypoxoutbreak that has infected more than 7,100 Americans. “It is a textbook case of a public health emergency,” Gostin said. Last week, the World Health Organization called monkeypox a public health emergency, with cases in more than 70 countries. The declaration of a …

Government strikes deal with Greens and SA Best to end COVID-19 emergency declaration
2 years, 7 months ago

Government strikes deal with Greens and SA Best to end COVID-19 emergency declaration

ABC  

New laws designed to handle South Australia's COVID-19 management for the second half of this year are set to pass parliament. Key points: New laws to handle the state's response to COVID-19 are set to pass parliament The government struck a deal with the Greens and SA Best to get the changes through The opposition wants the penalties proposed in …

Ducey signs bill limiting successor’s pandemic powers
2 years, 8 months ago

Ducey signs bill limiting successor’s pandemic powers

Associated Press  

Doug Ducey signed legislation Friday limiting the ability of his successor to tap into the emergency powers that he used for more than two years in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure, which won’t take effect until Ducey leaves office, is one of several bills moving in the Legislature to prevent future state and local leaders from using some …

COVID remains a public health emergency for now, the WHO and Biden administration say
2 years, 8 months ago

COVID remains a public health emergency for now, the WHO and Biden administration say

NPR  

COVID remains a public health emergency for now, the WHO and Biden administration say Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Dunham/AP Matt Dunham/AP The World Health Organization and the Biden administration are both saying that COVID-19 remains a public health emergency, even as global deaths from the virus have reached the lowest levels since March 2020. Both the WHO and …

COVID pandemic’s end may bring turbulence for US health care
2 years, 9 months ago

COVID pandemic’s end may bring turbulence for US health care

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — When the end of the COVID-19 pandemic comes, it could create major disruptions for a cumbersome U.S. health care system made more generous, flexible and up-to-date technologically through a raft of temporary emergency measures. “The flexibilities granted through the public health emergency have helped people stay covered and get access to care, so moving forward the key question …

COVID-19 is fading. But ending the health emergency could leave us vulnerable
2 years, 9 months ago

COVID-19 is fading. But ending the health emergency could leave us vulnerable

LA Times  

As the coronavirus releases its deadly grip on the United States and pandemic rules governing daily life fall away, is it time to declare the national public health emergency over? “This’ll be a whole new world.” The public health emergency was first declared by then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Jan. 31, 2020. The federal government’s $19.3-billion program …

Oregon governor extends COVID state of emergency declaration
3 years ago

Oregon governor extends COVID state of emergency declaration

Associated Press  

PORTLAND, Ore. — Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday extended Oregon’s declaration of a state of emergency as health officials prepare for an expected surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the coming weeks. The emergency declaration is the legal underpinning for the executive orders the governor has issued throughout the pandemic, including orders surrounding reopening Oregon, vaccine mandates, childcare, liability …

WHO should have declared Covid-19 an emergency much before, lost a month due to it: Panel report
3 years, 7 months ago

WHO should have declared Covid-19 an emergency much before, lost a month due to it: Panel report

India Today  

A new transparent global system should be set up for probing disease outbreaks, empowering the World Health Organization to deploy investigators at short-notice and reveal findings, a Covid-19 pandemic review panel said on Wednesday. The WHO should have declared the new coronavirus outbreak in China an international emergency earlier than January 30, 2020, but the next month was "lost" as …

Many U.S. health experts underestimated the coronavirus — until it was too late
4 years ago

Many U.S. health experts underestimated the coronavirus — until it was too late

LA Times  

A patient is rushed to intensive care to be intubated and placed on a ventilator at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. https://t.co/b8ZdEGIzyJ — Caitlin Rivers, PhD January 5, 2020 “If you cry wolf too often, people will never pay attention,” said epidemiologist Mark Wilson of the University of Michigan School of Public Health. “I wouldn’t criticize people …

The FDA didn’t ‘approve’ Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s why
4 years ago

The FDA didn’t ‘approve’ Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s why

LA Times  

A health worker prepares a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech. If a drug or vaccine passes muster, it’s granted an emergency use authorization, or EUA. An experimental vaccine being considered for emergency use authorization still must be tested in multiple rounds of clinical trials. If the FDA ever determines that the benefits of the vaccine no …

Avoid politicization of pandemic response, WHO tells countries
4 years, 2 months ago

Avoid politicization of pandemic response, WHO tells countries

India Today  

The WHO's Emergency Committee on Covid-19 met on 29 October to review the situation and progress made on temporary recommendations. They advised that the pandemic still constituted a public health emergency of international concern, and urged a focus on response efforts based on lessons learned and strong science. The committee expressed appreciation for WHO's leadership and activities throughout the global …

Daniel Andrews reports 'very productive' state of emergency talks with Victorian crossbench MPs
4 years, 4 months ago

Daniel Andrews reports 'very productive' state of emergency talks with Victorian crossbench MPs

ABC  

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he is "very hopeful" an agreement will be reached with crossbench MPs to allow legally binding health directives to be issued after September 13, as he seeks Upper House support to pass changes to state of emergency legislation. Key points: The state of emergency will expire on September 13 unless it is extended Some crossbenchers …

State of emergency powers are in force across Australia to combat coronavirus. Here’s how they are being used across the country.
4 years, 4 months ago

State of emergency powers are in force across Australia to combat coronavirus. Here’s how they are being used across the country.

ABC  

Victoria has just passed the halfway mark of stage 4 lockdown, but Premier Daniel Andrews' proposal to extend the coronavirus state of emergency by another 12 months has been met with backlash from various sectors of the community. Qld maintains tough border restrictions, but masks are not required — yet Queensland has extended its public health emergency until October 2, …

How not to prepare for a pandemic
4 years, 7 months ago

How not to prepare for a pandemic

The Hindu  

T he World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic on March 11, and just after that, in mid March, the United States National Security Council sent a cable to U.S. government agencies instructing them on how they should speak about China and the novel coronavirus. NSC officials wrote: “Chinese Communist Party officials in Wuhan and Beijing had a special responsibility …

Donald Trump invokes emergency powers; signs relief plan which provides sick leave to workers with COVID-19, free virus tests
4 years, 9 months ago

Donald Trump invokes emergency powers; signs relief plan which provides sick leave to workers with COVID-19, free virus tests

Firstpost  

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a second coronavirus response bill, which Donald Trump signed Wednesday night. Washington: Describing himself as a “wartime president” fighting an invisible enemy, President Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked rarely used emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against the coronavirus pandemic. Yet he seemed to minimize the urgency of the decision, later tweeting that he “only …

Trump taps emergency powers as virus relief plan proceeds
4 years, 9 months ago

Trump taps emergency powers as virus relief plan proceeds

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Describing himself as a “wartime president” fighting an invisible enemy, President Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked rarely used emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against the coronavirus pandemic. Yet he seemed to minimize the urgency of the decision, later tweeting that he “only signed the Defense Production Act to combat the Chinese Virus should we need to …

Victoria has declared a state of emergency because of coronavirus COVID-19. Here's what that means
4 years, 9 months ago

Victoria has declared a state of emergency because of coronavirus COVID-19. Here's what that means

ABC  

Victoria has declared an "unprecedented" state of emergency to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. "Expanding the powers of the chief health officer will allow us to better protect public health and give our hospitals, GPs and other industries the best fighting chance we can," Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said. Under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, the chief health …

Victoria enters state of emergency as coronavirus pandemic sees Melbourne universities take classes online
4 years, 9 months ago

Victoria enters state of emergency as coronavirus pandemic sees Melbourne universities take classes online

ABC  

Melbourne's biggest universities are moving away from face-to-face learning in preparation for potential campus shutdowns, after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic. Key points: The announcements came after Victoria declared a state of emergency in a bid to curb the coronavirus pandemic The declaration gives Victorian authorities additional powers to enforce a ban …

Donald Trump declares coronavirus a US national emergency, frees up $75 billion in funds
4 years, 9 months ago

Donald Trump declares coronavirus a US national emergency, frees up $75 billion in funds

ABC  

US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency over the fast-spreading coronavirus, opening the door to providing about $US50 billion in federal aid to fight the disease. Key points: The national emergency declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deploy support teams and provide disaster funds to states Former president Bill Clinton declared such an emergency in 2000 …

Leading Health Groups Urge Trump To Declare Coronavirus A National Emergency
4 years, 9 months ago

Leading Health Groups Urge Trump To Declare Coronavirus A National Emergency

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Three of the nation’s largest organizations representing hospitals, physicians, nurses and health care providers called on the Trump administration to declare the spread of COVID-19 a national disaster or emergency on Thursday, saying the designation could free up needed resources to help treat the growing number of Americans infected with the new coronavirus. “Preventing the spread of …

Trump declares a national emergency over the coronavirus
4 years, 9 months ago

Trump declares a national emergency over the coronavirus

LA Times  

President Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak Friday, which will allow more federal aid to flow to states and municipalities, as he sought for the second time in three days to reassure the country about his leadership. Trump also said he was “most likely” to get a coronavirus test himself, although he maintained he had no symptoms …

Trump declares national emergency as coronavirus crisis deepens
4 years, 9 months ago

Trump declares national emergency as coronavirus crisis deepens

Al Jazeera  

The declaration comes amid criticism over the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. As the coronavirus pandemic tore deeper into the fabric of American public life, United States President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday to provide more money to fight a pandemic that has killed 41 people in the US. Trump said he was also giving …

US coronavirus: America faces a new normal as outbreaks show no sign of slowing down
4 years, 9 months ago

US coronavirus: America faces a new normal as outbreaks show no sign of slowing down

CNN  

CNN — As American life continued to slow to a near-halt on Friday in response to the coronavirus pandemic, officials tried to alleviate concerns surrounding testing – or the lack thereof. The emergency order will “confer broad new authorities” to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who would be able to “waive provisions of applicable laws and regulations” to …

President Trump, heed these five lessons from my career in disaster response (Opinion)
4 years, 9 months ago

President Trump, heed these five lessons from my career in disaster response (Opinion)

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Mitch Landrieu, who served as Louisiana’s Lieutenant Governor from 2004 to 2010 and mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018, is a CNN political commentator. But the fundamentals of what a solid response entails and recovery to an emergency are remarkably consistent across any level of government, whether it be a public health threat, natural disaster or …

Coronavirus: Here’s why local governments are declaring emergencies, and what that means for you
4 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus: Here’s why local governments are declaring emergencies, and what that means for you

CNN  

CNN — Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday warned that it’s not a question of if, but when the novel coronavirus will spread in the United States, some places have already issued emergency declarations, and more could be coming from cities, counties and states. Tuesday, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization …

World Health Organisation division tackling coronavirus underfunded and facing internal corruption allegations, audits reveal
4 years, 10 months ago

World Health Organisation division tackling coronavirus underfunded and facing internal corruption allegations, audits reveal

ABC  

The World Health Organisation division leading the global response to the coronavirus outbreak is so chronically underfunded it has repeatedly been found to pose a "severe" and "unacceptable" level of hazard to the organisation, recent audits reveal. Key points: WHO is still struggling to implement reforms in the wake of its response to a deadly Ebola outbreak There has been …

US coronavirus: There are 11 confirmed cases of the virus that has killed more than 420 people in China
4 years, 11 months ago

US coronavirus: There are 11 confirmed cases of the virus that has killed more than 420 people in China

CNN  

CNN — While the Wuhan coronavirus keeps spreading within the United States, health officials are trying to rush testing capabilities across the country. CDC officials said they’re trying to expedite the “emergency use authorization” for tests so more parts of the United States can test for and diagnose the Wuhan coronavirus. “Most countries appreciate and support China’s efforts to fight …

What is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern?
4 years, 11 months ago

What is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern?

The Hindu  

The World Health Organisation on Thursday declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The WHO declares a Public Health Emergency of International Concern when there is "an extraordinary event which is determined… to constitute a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease.” The last time WHO declared a global health …

Trump Declares Coronavirus A Public Health Emergency And Restricts Travel From China
4 years, 11 months ago

Trump Declares Coronavirus A Public Health Emergency And Restricts Travel From China

NPR  

Trump Declares Coronavirus A Public Health Emergency And Restricts Travel From China Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP Updated 7:55 p.m. ET The Trump administration declared a public health emergency in the U.S. Friday in response to the global coronavirus outbreak. "Today President Trump took decisive action to minimize the risk of novel coronavirus in the United …

Coronavirus outbreak is now an international ‘public health emergency,’ WHO declares
4 years, 11 months ago

Coronavirus outbreak is now an international ‘public health emergency,’ WHO declares

LA Times  

Doctors watch as medical supplies from Beijing are unloaded at a hospital in Wuhan. The coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan is now a “public health emergency,” according to the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization declared Thursday that the deadly outbreak fueled by a new coronavirus from China has become a global health emergency, citing fears that the …

Coronavirus has been declared a public health emergency by WHO. Here's what that means
4 years, 11 months ago

Coronavirus has been declared a public health emergency by WHO. Here's what that means

ABC  

The World Health Organisation has declared the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak a global emergency. Key points: The WHO has decided the outbreak is a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" The designation could lead to more funding for the fight against the virus But it could also hurt China's economy and lead to further travel restrictions The decision came as the …

WHO declares coronavirus an international emergency
4 years, 11 months ago

WHO declares coronavirus an international emergency

India Today  

The World Health Organization said on Thursday it was declaring the China coronavirus outbreak that has killed 170 people in China a global emergency, as cases spread to 18 countries. Experts say cases of person-to-person transmission - which have also been detected outside China in Germany, Vietnam, and Japan - are especially concerning because they suggest a greater potential for …

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