World Health Organization Declares COVID-19 to be a Pandemic
Client Alert | 1 min read | 03.11.20
The World Health Organization has announced its determination that COVID-19 is a pandemic. At a press briefing on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO announced that this is the first time the WHO has declared a pandemic as a result of a coronavirus outbreak. The announcement does not change the WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by COVID-19, nor does it require new WHO public health recommendations.
The WHO announcement means that U.S. employers now have additional flexibility to take measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. Guidance issued in 2009 by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in response to the ‘swine flu’ outbreak authorizes employers to be more aggressive in responding to a pandemic, notwithstanding the obligations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The EEOC guidance suggests that employers may be able to conduct certain types of testing and make more direct inquiries to their employees, as part of a containment plan.
Contacts
Insights
Client Alert | 3 min read | 04.21.26
Brussels – April 21, 2026: Lauren Cuyvers has joined Crowell & Moring as a partner in its highly regarded Privacy and Cybersecurity Group, expanding the firm’s ability to provide critical legal counsel to clients managing a complex and rapidly changing privacy and cybersecurity landscape globally. She is the third addition to the firm’s Brussels office in the last six months and the fourth partner to join the firm’s Privacy and Cybersecurity Group in the last year.
Client Alert | 7 min read | 04.20.26
EU Pharma Package: The “Bolar” Exemption Compromise Proposal
Client Alert | 8 min read | 04.17.26
CMS Finalizes CY 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rule: Key Implications for Plan Sponsors
Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.17.26
