Skopje, 8 May 2023 (MIA) – The Commission for Infectious Disease is set to recommend to the Ministry of Health and the Government to remove all COVID-19 protective measures which include mandatory wearing face masks in health facilities, public transport, pharmacies and in homes for the elderly and people with special needs.

Zlate Mehmedovikj, spokesperson for the Commission for Infectious Diseases, told Monday's press conference that the recommendation comes following the meeting of WHO's International Health Regulations Emergency Committee that recommended the UN organization declare an end to the coronavirus crisis as a public health emergency of international concern.

The recommendation also refers to treating COVID-19 as a common infectious disease that will be on the same level as other diseases.

“We recommend people to continue wearing face masks who will make visits to hospitals, especially people with underlying health conditions, seniors older than 65,” Mehmedovikj said, adding that wearing face masks showed that it was important to protect against the COVID-19.

He also briefed that the number of people infected with COVID-19 are registered on a weekly basis is decreasing, and the lowest level of COVID-19 cases was registered last week - 66 patients.

Mehmedovikj also said COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global health emergency, noting that the pandemic is not over, and COVID-19 vaccine are still recommended.