SAN DIEGO — On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency.
"I think it's great," said Doctor William Tseng with Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, reacting to the news.
"I think the numbers have shown a steady decline over the last couple of weeks actually... So we're very happy that the disease is coming under control," said Tseng.
While masks and social distancing are mostly a thing of the past, some people in San Diego still feel the effects of the pandemic on a daily basis.
"I have mixed feelings about it," said Rachel Cedillo when asked about her opinion on the WHO's announcement.
Cedillo's father was admitted into the hospital due to COVID-19 around Thanksgiving time and eventually passed away, while Cedillo's mom battled the virus simultaneously.
"You have to move on. You have to continue your life, so that on one side is the good, but at the same time it's still out there. It's still out there, and it impacts people," said Cedillo.
The WHO's announcement comes just days before the United States is set to end its COVID-19 public health emergency.
Dr. Tseng says people receiving insurance through Medi-Cal should contact their provider to find out whether their coverage will be impacted when the emergency ends.
