The World Health Organization has officially declared that the Covid Pandemic is over.
It said that the outbreak was no longer considered a public health crisis worldwide.
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The virus is estimated to have killed 20 million people in just three years. However, daily deaths are down to only a handful of hundred now from 14,000.
Figures show that the UK was the first country to introduce a vaccine and one of the first countries to adopt Covid. There have been 223,396 fatalities in the UK.
WHO general secretary Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “With great hope I declare Covid-19 over as a global health emergency.”
He hailed health workers, scientists and the public for their efforts and sacrifices but said the “moment for celebration” should not overshadow the deep scars left by the pandemic.
He claimed that people were dying unnecessarily as a result of governments failing to cooperate.
He added: “We must promise ourselves and our children and grandchildren we’ll never make those mistakes again.
“The worst thing any country could do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about.”
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “We welcome the news from the WHO.
“Our vaccination programme has delivered more than 146million jabs in England — helping us to live with the virus.”
Swansea University sociologist Dr Simon Williams said WHO’s declaration was to be celebrated but called for better preparation to combat any future pandemic.