The Department of State and Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement they had transmitted on Friday the official U.S. rejection of the amendments to the International Health Regulations,

The WHO changes came under fire from US conservatives last year, leading House Republicans to pass legislation rejecting the measures. The global health body’s first ever pandemic agreement agreed this year, however, explicitly reaffirms country sovereignty and gives the WHO no powers to restrict travel, mandate vaccines or impose lockdowns.