Key TakeawaysThe Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday renewed a public health emergency declaration for COVID-19 for the sixth time.The declaration states that COVID-19 presents a national emergency and enables the HHS secretary to take steps to combat the pandemic.Experts say the renewal doesn’t call for extra concern, but people should prepare for a return of restrictions if conditions do not improve.

Key Takeaways

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday renewed a public health emergency declaration for COVID-19 for the sixth time.The declaration states that COVID-19 presents a national emergency and enables the HHS secretary to take steps to combat the pandemic.Experts say the renewal doesn’t call for extra concern, but people should prepare for a return of restrictions if conditions do not improve.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday renewed its Public Health Emergency Declaration due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.The declaration enables the HSS to fund, investigate, and support certain emergency efforts.

Since the initial declaration, nearly 34 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus and more than 606,000 lives have been lost to the pandemic nationwide, according to theCOVID data trackerfrom the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Jonathan Baktari, MD, CEO ofe7health.com, sees the renewal as a result of two things: U.S. vaccination rates being lower than President Joe Biden’s initial goal and the rise of the Delta variant.

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“The renewal of this authorization is [HHS’s] way of saying: ‘If the Delta variant and the lower vaccination rates were to continue, we want to keep all our options open in terms of mandating things such as indoor mask wearing and social distancing,’” Baktari tells Verywell.

Baktari says that it is only “a matter of time” before a stronger variant threatens the current vaccines in the United States.

William Lang, MD, MHA,chief medical officer at WorldClinic and former White House physician, says the renewal does not imply the U.S. is in a worse position. It simply states that the threat of COVID-19 remains, which many health experts and organizations have already reiterated.

“The fact that Secretary Becerra has extended this is simply a matter of housekeeping for ongoing actions that need to continue,” Lang tells Verywell in an email.

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What This Means For YouThe public health emergency order will last for 90 days and can be renewed if deemed necessary. In the meantime, health experts say to protect yourself through vaccinations and to be prepared for a return of some restrictions like indoor mask requirements, depending on where you live.

What This Means For You

The public health emergency order will last for 90 days and can be renewed if deemed necessary. In the meantime, health experts say to protect yourself through vaccinations and to be prepared for a return of some restrictions like indoor mask requirements, depending on where you live.

The Delta variant now accounts for more than 80% of cases in the U.S, according to Reuters. In response, some states havereinstated mask mandateand social distancing requirements.

However, the emergency declaration would likely have been renewed without the presence of the Delta variant, as it allows the secretary to fund essential programs like COVID-19 prevention and treatment research, Lang explains.

A national public health emergency declaration is also in place for the opioid crisis,which has been renewed periodically since 2005.

Public Health Emergency Declaration

Under a public health emergency declaration, the HHS Secretary can take actions such as:

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Public Health Emergency.Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists.Public Health Emergency.Public Health Emergency Declarations.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Public Health Emergency Declaration.FEMA.COVID-19 Disaster Declarations.

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Public Health Emergency.Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists.Public Health Emergency.Public Health Emergency Declarations.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Public Health Emergency Declaration.FEMA.COVID-19 Disaster Declarations.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Public Health Emergency.Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists.Public Health Emergency.Public Health Emergency Declarations.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Public Health Emergency Declaration.FEMA.COVID-19 Disaster Declarations.

Public Health Emergency.Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists.

Public Health Emergency.Public Health Emergency Declarations.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Public Health Emergency Declaration.

FEMA.COVID-19 Disaster Declarations.

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