The COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a public health emergency. The corresponding statement was made in WHO. Members of the Committee emphasized the global trend towards a decrease in the death rate from COVID-19, a decrease in the total number of hospitalizations, as well as a high level of population immunity. Oksana Koshalko, Head of the Epidemiological Surveillance Department of the Public Health Center (PHC), told how this decision could affect Ukrainians.

Koshalko noted that the abolition of the state of emergency regarding the COVID-19 pandemic was a fairly expected decision. First of all, due to the fact that the variant of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron virus is as close as possible in its characteristics to our seasonal flu.

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“He is no longer as dangerous as he was at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.. Today we have much more information about the virus itself and methods for identifying and treating patients.. We at the Public Health Center will definitely conduct surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and observe the characteristics of the virus itself,"

According to Koshalko, based on the assessment of the epidemiological situation, the government will provide recommendations on further anti-epidemic measures on the territory of Ukraine..

The expert explained that in Ukraine there is a decline in the incidence - a 15% decrease compared to last week, 6 thousand people fell ill.

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“We have a stable trend for several weeks in a row to reduce the incidence of COVID-19,” she added..

The head of the surveillance department also told who needs booster vaccinations against coronavirus infection.

“In the risk group for COVID-19, today we have people of the older age group and those who have chronic diseases..

Therefore, it is especially important for them to take a course of vaccinations and additional booster doses,"

According to her, the variant of the Omicron strain has a lower lethality than its predecessors, and the number of hospitalized individuals is now not as high as it used to be..

“However, we must be aware that COVID-19 is with us forever and it will be a seasonal disease,” she concluded..

Earlier we wrote that the percentage of deaths from COVID-19 is changing in Ukraine. This is due to the fact that the Omicron strain is now the most common, which has a significantly lower lethality than Delta..