Reflecting on the End of the COVID Public Health Emergency

On April 10, 2023, President Biden signed H.J. Res. 7, which ended the national emergency order for COVID-19. The Public Health Emergency by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is set to expire on May 11. I also recently celebrated the end of mandatory universal masking at my hospital. We have definitely turned a corner in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before these things happened, most of the country – if not the world – seem to have moved on from COVID-19. Barely anyone masks in the airport (though I still do). Barely anyone masks on the plane (though I still do). Still, having the national public health emergency officially end is a major turning point. It seems that the COVID-19 nightmare is finally over.

At the same time, the nightmare for the families and loved-ones of the more than 1,100,000 Americans who were killed by COVID-19 has hardly ended. The nightmare of the approximately 245,000 children in the US and 10.5 million children globally – who have lost one or both parents to COVID-19 – has hardly ended. Yes, we are celebrating – rightly so – not having to wear masks everywhere in the hospital all the time. And for so many, the pain and horror of loss continues day by day.

We are celebrating the end of the pandemic, and so many others have to celebrate birthdays without their loved ones there any longer. We are celebrating no longer being overwhelmed by patient after patient with a strange and novel deadly disease, and so many others just celebrated Easter without their loved ones there any longer. We get the mark the anniversary of the first patient with COVID-19 to hit our ICU with gratitude that we survived the pandemic. So many others must endure anniversary after anniversary of the death of their loved ones to COVID-19 (including my own uncle, who died from COVID-19 several years ago).

I am not trying take away from the happiness of this moment. We on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic have endured so much pain, so much anguish, and so much difficulty. At the same time, I would be remiss if I did not pause and think about all the people who are suffering from the terrible loss inflicted by COVID-19.

May the Precious Beloved comfort all those who have suffered loss from this terrible pandemic. The pain may get better, but it never goes away. Having lost a child myself, I know all too well about this pain.