The WHO Director-General makes the final call on a public health emergency of international concern, and Temporary Recommendations expire after three months

Background

The International Health Regulations (2005) are a binding international legal agreement involving 196 countries, including all the Member States of the World Health Organization.
Their aim is to help the international community prevent and respond to acute public health risks that can cross borders, while avoiding unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.
The IHR Emergency Committee is made up of international experts who give technical advice to the WHO Director-General.
The Committee gives its views on whether an event is a public health emergency of international concern, on the Temporary Recommendations that should be taken, and on the termination of such an emergency.
The Director-General makes the final determination, based on the Committee's advice, information from States Parties, scientific experts and an assessment of the risk to human health, of international spread and of interference with international travel.
Temporary Recommendations automatically expire three months after they are issued, so Emergency Committees are reconvened at least every three months.
The Regulations define such an emergency as an extraordinary event that is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response.