Public health officials have spent the past two years urging people to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, but despite free and available vaccines, many have yet to take their advice. Now, we are entering a new phase. With the end of the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, the government will no longer pay for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. In addition, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced earlier this month that his organization will lift the COVID-19 emergency status.
Even so, COVID-19 persists with new variants emerging and infections in the U.S. still numbering more than 77,000 per week. We need a new public health framework that can safeguard our communities, especially those most at risk, from the ravages of the virus. In healthcare, we talk about a community-based approach often, which is especially necessary when trying to reach those most at risk, including African Americans.