On May 11, 2023, the federal government’s COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration will expire. As a result, several programs connected to the PHE such as COVID-19 testing and vaccinations will be affected. For more information about how programs will change, check out our previous blog about the PHE ending.
With these changes in mind, here is a list of resources to stay up to date on the PHE ending:
- Staying Informed: Understanding Local Impacts of the Public Health Emergency Ending webinar recording
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants
- Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Transition Roadmap
- Public Health Emergency Unwind
The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) have also updated their Answers to Tough Questions page to reflect the recent end of the national emergency declaration and the differences between the two emergency declarations.
Although there are nuanced policy differences between the two emergency declarations, the end of the national emergency declaration will limit executive powers granted under the order. Under the PHE declaration, the government has had more flexibility in a number of health-related areas—including fully covering the cost of most COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines. When the emergency declaration ends, coverage for COVID-19 will become more like coverage for other medical conditions.
In the coming weeks, PHCC will share additional communication resources about the end of the PHE on May 11.
In addition to the PHE ending, Washington’s COVID-19 exposure notification app WA Notify is scheduled to sunset on May 11. WA Notify anonymously alerted people who may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Read more about the app’s termination here.