5 years since COVID-19 declared a global pandemic: a look at progress and challenges

March 11, 2025 marks five years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. While significant progress has been made in fighting the virus, challenges remain, according to Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, an emergency room physician with the Hillcrest HealthCare System.

Dr. Johnson says COVID-19 fatigue has shaped public perception of the virus, with many people moving past concerns about it. However, hospitals have adapted to managing major health crises, including patient surges during peak infection periods.

Ongoing Research and Long-Term Effects

Research is ongoing into the long-term effects of COVID-19, including potential lung and organ damage. For those dealing with long COVID, Dr. Johnson recommends seeking care from a primary physician to help manage symptoms.

Current COVID-19 and Flu Trends

Right now, emergency rooms across the Hillcrest system are seeing only a few positive COVID-19 cases each week. However, Dr. Johnson notes that flu cases are on the rise.

He credits the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine as a major breakthrough in medical science.

"The rapid creation of the vaccine from really just discovering a new virus to creating a vaccine in a year was pretty amazing," Dr. Johnson said. "I think certainly we learned some new technology from that, which was really good. We’ll see how that gets put into place for maybe other diseases in the future.”

Healthcare Workforce Recovery

Dr. Johnson points to a major shift in the healthcare workforce, as many professionals left the field during the pandemic. While staffing numbers are slowly improving, the industry is still working to recover.

"We’re getting younger. We definitely have a younger healthcare workforce than we had during COVID and pre-COVID," Dr. Johnson said. "So it’s about training and getting people up to speed. But I’d say things are still stabilizing, even five years out.”

Dr. Johnson says there is still a strong need for more nurses to join the field. He also believes it’s crucial to rebuild public trust in healthcare, even years after the pandemic.

Telehealth Growth and Continued Vaccination Efforts

The COVID-19 shutdown also led to a rise in telehealth services, making medical care more accessible for patients, especially those unable to leave their homes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults are still encouraged to receive an annual COVID-19 vaccine, similar to the yearly flu shot.