00:00Following the Biden administration's announcement regarding the expiry of the COVID-19 public health emergency status in May,
00:07U.S. residents worry people will become less mindful of the continued threat of the virus.
00:13The Guardian reports some health experts are in support of the administration's decision,
00:18providing the health care system's ability to respond to viruses remains prominent.
00:23Jennifer Nuzo, an epidemiologist, says there are much more systemic issues that we have to fix
00:29that a public health emergency is not well poised to fix.
00:33William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine,
00:37says lifting the declaration will once again introduce disparities, both in treatment and prevention.
00:44The site reports, upon declaring COVID-19 a public health emergency,
00:49certain requirements for government programs were disregarded and millions of additional people enrolled in Medicaid.
00:55The status enabled most Americans to access COVID-19 tests, vaccines and respective treatments free of charge.
01:03Residents fear too many questions remain regarding what happens next.
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