End of COVID state pushed

Herbosa to ask President to lift public health emergency

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SAYING that the coronavirus pandemic no longer posed an emergency, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Monday said he will recommend the formal lifting of the COVID-19 state of public health emergency in the country.

Declaring the end of the emergency state would have an impact on the use of emergency funds for the use of vaccines, and the Department of Health’s current marching orders from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure that health workers continue to receive their COVIDrelated allowances, even though the state of calamity has expired. Herbosa said COVID-19 could be treated as any other disease that the DOH monitors like influenza, cough, and cold.

“Actually, there is no longer an emergency. I think I would actually ask the lifting of the public health emergency in the country,” he said.

Last February, President Marcos said he would no longer extend the state of calamity that expired Dec. 31, 2022, sign-