DOH, IATF to reassess COVID-19 policies after WHO declaration

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will meet to discuss and reassess COVID-19 guidelines following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration that the viral disease is no longer a global health emergency.

The health agency also said that it welcomed the decision from WHO, as it reflected the government’s efforts in its COVID-19 response.

READ: COVID-19 no longer a global health emergency, says WHO

“The DOH will convene the members of the [IATF-EID] to discuss and reassess policies and other guidelines affected by the declaration,” it said in a statement late Friday night.

According to the DOH, the following steps will be brought up for approval by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“The DOH guarantees the Filipino people that all factors in determining our next action in line with the WHO’s proclamation will be considered and discussed for the approval of the President,” said the DOH.

The DOH also said that the proclamation was an “acknowledgment of our effective and collaborative COVID-19 response and concerted efforts to fully recover and re-open our economy.”

The COVID-19 virus left at least 20 million people dead across the globe, said WHO. In the Philippines, at least 66,444 people lost their lives to the disease, according to the DOH’s data.

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