Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra released the following statement on the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE):

"Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration's whole-of-government approach to combatting COVID-19, our country is in a better place than at any point during the pandemic.

"We have learned many lessons during the last two and a half years and have worked to strengthen our preparedness and response efforts by creating resiliency in the domestic supply chain, building capacity to ensure adequate stockpiles, and fostering innovation through projects like Project NextGen.

"HHS and the leadership across the Department remain focused on protecting the health and well-being of all Americans, particularly those at highest at risk, including seniors and immunocompromised people, making sure we don’t leave the uninsured behind and monitoring the latest subvariants so we're prepared and ready to manage the risks of the virus moving forward. The PHE is ending, but COVID-19 remains a public health priority, and our work to protect the American public will continue."