COVID-19 remains a problem amidst the Public Health Emergency ending

Posted on May 17, 2023
McLean County Health Department’s Jessica McKnight spoke to WJBC’s Blake Haas. (WJBC file photo)

By Jake Fogal

BLOOMINGTON – The Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency came to a close last week, but that does not mean the virus is going anywhere, according to a local health official.

Jessica McKnight with the McLean County Health Department says just because the Public Emergency has ended, that doesn’t mean you can’t get COVID-19

McKnight spoke with WJBC’s Blake Haas.

“COVID-19 is still a virus that is around, and we are still going to see people get sick with it. What we have now are tools and resources in place to help us prevent severe complications. So while the Public Health Emergency might be over, we are still in the middle of a pandemic because COVID-19 is still one of the leading causes of death,” McKnight said.

The World Health Organization reports that nearly 7 million people died of COVID-19 worldwide over a three year span of the pandemic.

Health officials warn that COVID-19 is still a risk, particularly for seniors and those who have a compromised immune system.

Jake Fogal can be reached at [email protected].

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