Coronavirus: Local doctor says pandemic not over, despite end to global public health emergency

DAYTON — The World Health Organization said Friday that Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency.

>>Coronavirus: WHO declares end to global public health emergency

“The emergency committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public emergency of international concern,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director. “I have accepted that advice.”

It marks a symbolic end to the pandemic that triggered lockdowns, upended economies worldwide, and killed at least 7 million people.

News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott spoke with a physician at Premiere Health. He says even though the emergency phase is over, the pandemic has not come to an end just yet.

The doctor said it has been several weeks, but they still treat Covid patients which is nothing compared to the peak of the pandemic.

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McDermott says a few years ago, Premier providers treated at least 6-10 patients a day with Covid-19.

They were also testing hundreds of people in cars for the virus and giving vaccines to thousands daily.

Doctor Joseph Allen said it was a struggle to make space for people in the hospital, but they were never overwhelmed like other hospitals. He is relieved we are moving past that time.

“How is it to get back to a more normal? This is one of those steps and kind of one of the big steps,” Allen told McDermott. “It’s a big deal.”

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He said our area did a great job of taking the pandemic seriously and getting vaccinated, which has cut down on the number of patients he is treating.

As well as the fact that any time a virus enters a community like Covid did, it hits those that are most at risk first. As the virus runs its course, people build up immunity and fewer people are at risk.

“We have a group of people that here that are tolerant of that virus and so that makes it a little less impactful than it was previously,” said Allen. “Certainly, unfortunate for the folks that are unable to fight it off.”

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The global health emergency has ended, but people will notice here in the United States when the government said the emergency would officially stop.

The World Health Organization said even though the emergency has come to an end, Covid is still a global health threat for people to still be mindful of.

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