The word "pandemic" is not a major trigger in public health. PHEIC is the trigger. "Pandemic" may have psychological significance to many people, especially th

The word "pandemic" is not a major trigger in public health. PHEIC is the trigger. "Pandemic" may have psychological significance to many people, especially those who don't know about global public health policy and have never heard of the term "PHEIC." The WHO feared that the psychological impact of using the term might actually be counterproductive, because it signals that the spread of the disease cannot be controlled. In any case, SARS-COV-2 objectively did not become a pandemic until long after a PHEIC was declared.