Governor John Carney on Thursday announced plans to end the State of Delaware’s Public Health Emergency order at the end of the day on May 11, 2023, absent any unanticipated developments.
The expected end date matches the date the federal Public Health Emergency is set to expire.
The emergency had been in place to provide services related to Covid-19 and had drawn criticism from those who had opposed the governor’s business and other restrictions that took place in 2020 and into 2021. There had been calls to restrict the governor’s emergency powers.
“Consistent with the ending of the federal public health emergency, and with Delaware’s continued progress in moving beyond Covid-19, we’ll plan to end our public health order this May,” said Carney. “We will keep working with businesses and the healthcare industry as we finalize this transition. Thank you to each and every Delawarean who helped us get to where we are today.”
Under Delaware law, Public Health Emergency orders must be renewed every 30 days. Carney extended the public health emergency order on March 31, 2023, and will plan to formally extend the state’s order once more in April.
