COVID-19 Emergency to End on May 11, White House Says
- February 03, 2023
After more than three years, the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies (PHE) are slated to be lifted on May 11, the White House announced January 30.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary in January extended the PHE for another 90 days until April 11. The COVID-19 national emergency is set to expire on March 1. In a statement of administration policy, the White House said both emergency declarations would continue until their termination point on May 11.
The Trump administration first declared the COVID-19 emergencies in early 2020. The PHE allowed the HHS Secretary to put in place a series of regulatory waivers to give providers flexibility during the pandemic.
The Biden administration pledged to provide 60 days’ notice before terminating the PHE to allow for an orderly wind down of remaining flexibilities.
The White House statement was issued is in response to measures sponsored by Republican lawmakers to terminate the emergency declarations. By a 220-210 margin, the House passed January 31 a measure (H.R. 382) that would immediately terminate the PHE. That chamber also cleared legislation (H.R. 497) in a 227-203 vote that would eliminate the health care worker COVID-19 vaccine mandate at Medicare and Medicaid-participating facilities. The Senate is not expected to consider either bill.
“[A]n abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system,” the White House said.