Commentary: Biden’s comments about pandemic widen public health split over how US should respond to Covid-19

Biden's comments about pandemic widen public health split over how US should respond to Covid-19 | CNN Even as the US prepares for a potential winter surge of Covid-19, President Biden roamed the cavernous halls of the Detroit Auto Show for an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" and, gesturing to the mostly maskless attendees, told the nation, "the pandemic is over." Brenda Goodman CNN

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Biden’s declaration has created another split-screen moment in efforts to bring Covid-19 to heel. Some public health experts worry that political motives are driving the President’s desire to declare the pandemic over, rather than protection of the public’s health. Others say the president is right and the acute phase of the pandemic is over, even as the country continues to deal with a high burden of disease.

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One problem that contributes to the confusion is that the definition of a pandemic is squishy. In the simplest terms, a pandemic is an epidemic that occurs around the world and affects a large number of people. It’s not up to a single person or organization to declare an official start or end to one.

“I think it’s sort of a term of art,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “There’s no criteria or some checklist that you make.”

The World Health Organization recognizes a global health threat as something different: a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC. The US also recognizes a public health emergency.

Covid-19 is still considered to be a public health emergency both domestically and around the world. ...