On Jan 30, 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the highest alarm it can sound, which is used for moments when the world must act together or risk catastrophic consequences.1 6 years later, the USA is completing its withdrawal from WHO, stepping away from the very system designed to detect and respond to emerging health threats before they escalate into global crises.2,3 The timing is poignant, with the withdrawal coming days before the death of Bill Foege, a public health giant whose leadership in smallpox eradication showed that global cooperation is not optional, but essential.
On Jan 30, 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the highest alarm it can sound, which is used for moments when the world must act together or risk catastrophic consequences.1 6 years later, the USA is completing its withdrawal from WHO, stepping away from the very system designed to detect and respond to emerging health threats before they escalate into global crises.2,3 The timing is poignant, with the withdrawal coming days before the death of Bill Foege, a public health giant whose leadership in smallpox eradication showed that global cooperation is not optional, but essential.