IDPH Director Visits SIU ahead of Commencement Ceremony

CARBONDALE, IL. (KFVS) - Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has announced the ending of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

The Illinois Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Sameer Vohra, said his department and local health departments will continue to treat the virus daily.

He goes on to say the pandemic was a challenging time in healthcare.

“Today marks the fact that we’re no longer in a public health emergency, what it doesn’t mean is that COVID-19 has gone away,” said Dr. Vohra. “We know that COVID-19 is circulating and will continue to circulate. Especially those that are most vulnerable, those over 65, those immunocompromised, those with chronic conditions. COVID can be still a very serious illness.”

Dr. Vohra said that it is important that we learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and as we move forward to take things like vaccinations seriously to try and prevent another outbreak from happening.

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