Health and Human Services Extends Public Health Emergency for Covid-19
The Department of Health and Human Services has extended the PHE (public health emergency) for Covid-19; this newest order went in to effect on October 18, 2021. For another 90 days, all “telehealth waivers and other flexibilities pursuant to the PHE determination” will continue. This pushes the most current PHE declaration to end on January 16, 2022. Indicated by the Biden Administration, they intend to give the healthcare community 60 days’ notice before allowing the PHE to lapse in order to give them time for preparation. You can view the full renewal here.
This renewal will be the 8th order revolving around Covid-19 nationally. The initial order titled “Determination that a Public Health Emergency Exists Nationwide as the Result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus,” was put into effect on January 31, 2020. On April 21, 2020, this PHE was extended, and is also when this disease got its name that we know it as now “Coronavirus; Covid-19.” According to the CDC, “an outbreak is called an epidemic when there is a sudden increase in cases. As COVID-19 began spreading in Wuhan, China, it became an epidemic. Because the disease then spread across several countries and affected a large number of people, it was classified as a pandemic.”
Sources:
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/default.aspx
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/COVDI-15Oct21.aspx