The end of the COVID-19 National Public Health Emergency

On May 11, 2023, the COVID-19 National Public Health Emergency came to an end. The weekend before, the World Health Organization ended its declaration that COVID constitutes a global Public Health Emergency. Here in New Mexico, Governor Luhan Grisham’s COVID emergency declaration ended on March 31, and hospitals dropped most of their masking requirements in April. COVID certainly hasn’t been eradicated, but we’ve made huge strides in being able to prevent infections and treat the disease. Nevertheless, COVID remains the #7 cause of death in the U.S., according to a recent New York Times report.

It’s become clear that we will never get a clean, clear “the pandemic is over” moment, so this is probably as close as we will get. What the Department of Health and New Mexicans across the state have done together has been truly remarkable. Much as John Barry’s “The Great Influenza” has become the definitive narrative of the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919, people will look back 100 years from now on the work that we did, whether you were here at the Department of Health, working in health care, or simply being a community member living through this time. I hope as you look back on the past three years that you are incredibly proud of what you have done, that you remember both the pain and the accomplishments, and that you remember and tell the stories of this time to those who follow.

And now the work of going on continues. We’ve been through a lot as a state, and as a public health community. We all have healing and rebuilding to do. And we’ve learned much about how to do our work, especially in the ways we serve those whose needs have not historically been served well by our systems and structures. While I wasn’t here with you through most of the pandemic, I’m excited to be here with you for what comes next. It’s going to be an exciting and challenging time.

Patrick M. Allen

Secretary, New Mexico Department of Health

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