Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that California’s COVID-19 state of emergency will be lifted on Feb. 28, 2023.
The date is set to ensure the health care system can be prepared for the possible winter holiday surge and give state and local governments time to prepare for the phaseout, according to Newsom’s office.
“Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been guided by the science and data—moving quickly and strategically to save lives,” Newsom said in a statement. “The state of emergency was an effective and necessary tool that we utilized to protect our state, and we wouldn’t have gotten to this point without it. With the operational preparedness that we’ve built up and the measures that we'll continue to employ moving forward, California is ready to phase out this tool.”
In the meantime, these orders continue the state’s COVID-19 testing and vaccination programs and prevent potential strain on health care facilities and workers, according to the governor’s office.
The emergency declaration was imposed at the beginning of the pandemic, aiming to prioritize settling medical opportunities, getting protective equipment, and setting up testing centers and vaccination sites.
According to a report from the governor’s office, the state has administered around 81 million vaccine doses, distributed 1 billion units of personal protective equipment, processed 186 million tests, and allocated billions of dollars to support hospitals, frontline workers, schools, and other community organizations throughout the pandemic.
The state government also issued a total of nearly $30 billion in economic stimulus for labor payments, rent relief, and small businesses.
Newsom will seek lawful changes allowing nurses to continue dispensing COVID-19 therapeutics and continue allowing laboratory workers to solely process COVID-19 tests when the state Legislature reconvenes.
“California’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has prepared us for whatever comes next,” state Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said in a statement. “As we move into this next phase, the infrastructure and processes we’ve invested in and built up will provide us [with] the tools to manage any ups and downs in the future.”
