Following the proceedings and Report of the thirteenth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, held on Thursday, 13 October 2022, the WHO Director-General concurs with the advice offered by the Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that the event continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The WHO Director-General considered the advice provided by the Committee regarding the proposed Temporary Recommendations. The set of Temporary Recommendations issued by the WHO Director-General is presented at the end of the statement.
The Committee acknowledged progress in controlling the outbreak in many countries with the number of severe cases and deaths substantially decreased and high levels of population immunity achieved in many countries through vaccination and/or infection, leading to resumption of economic and social life and lifting of most COVID-19-related restrictions.
The Committee noted a clear decoupling of case incidence from severe disease, and the high seroprevalence estimates resulting from combined infection and/or vaccination across all WHO regions. Seroprevalence data may not necessarily reflect true immune protection but seems to reflect protection against severe disease, and such studies continue to be important to monitor immune response over time.