Question Period Note: Who Statement

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On May 4, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) convened a meeting of its International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the COVID-19 pandemic to consider whether the pandemic still constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The WHO Director General considered the advice offered by the Emergency Committee and, on May 5, 2023, announced that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue and no longer constitutes a PHEIC.
Key Messages
• Over three years since declaring COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern, the WHO has lifted this designation. This is a significant milestone in the global response to the pandemic, and a moment in which health care providers, frontline workers, and Canadians can take pride in the efforts they made to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in Canada.
• Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Government of Canada’s top priority has been protecting the health and safety of all Canadians and it will continue to be so as we work to sustainably manage COVID-19 in the longer term.
• Recognizing that COVID-19 is still circulating worldwide, the WHO has issued a series of recommendations and urges that Governments continue to be vigilant.
• Public health investments made during the pandemic have increased Canada’s ability to plan for and respond to respiratory threats. As a result, we are already addressing WHO’s recommendations to this end and continue to exert caution.
• We will continue to monitor COVID-19 closely with our provincial, territorial, and international partners and adapt Canada’s ongoing response to COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses accordingly.
If pressed on whether the COVID-19 pandemic is over
• A public health emergency of international concern is different than a pandemic. While no longer classified as an international emergency by the WHO, COVID-19 is still widespread and is therefore still a pandemic.
• While we are in a much different stage, COVID-19 is still with us so we must remain vigilant.
• Layers of protection, including receiving recommended COVID-19 vaccinations and personal protective practices, such as wearing well-fitting masks, remain our best approach to reduce the risk of developing severe illness and limiting the burden on the health system.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Government of Canada’s top priority has been protecting the health and safety of all Canadians. It has taken swift action to do so, including developing infection, prevention, and control guidance, as well as providing laboratory testing, sequencing, and guidance to provinces and territories. Additional activities also included establishing public health surveillance to monitor outbreak trends; investing in research; purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) and other necessary medical supplies and equipment; and deploying vaccines, treatments and rapid tests to provinces and territories.

Informed by the latest science and evidence, the Government will continue its work with provinces and territories to implement a long-term, sustainable approach to the ongoing management of COVID-19.

As part of ongoing monitoring, the Government of Canada continues to contribute to and assess the global epidemiology of COVID-19, including working with international partners to enhance viral genomic sequencing capacity. There is ongoing monitoring in place to track COVID-19 activity and impacts using multiple systems, including laboratory identification of significant new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The Government of Canada has already taken actions that align with the WHO’s recent recommendations, which include the lifting of all COVID-19 international travel-related health measures; ongoing monitoring of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses; beginning to incorporate COVID-19 vaccination into the life course vaccination programs; continued evaluation of evidence to provide recommendations for vaccinations; and continuing to strengthen health emergency preparedness and response through community engagement, risk communications and research.

• The WHO Director General originally declared that the COVID-19 pandemic constituted a PHEIC on January 30, 2020.
• In addition to recommending that COVID-19 no longer be considered a PHEIC, the IHR Emergency Committee recommended that an IHR Review Committee be convened to advise on recommendations to address long-term risks posed by SARS-CoV-2.
• These recommendations would take into account the 2023-2025 COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan.
• The WHO also issued temporary recommendations which provide advice relating to key areas of emergency coordination, collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, and access to countermeasures.