An independent review will examine Western Australia's COVID-19 pandemic response as the state of emergency finally comes to its end.

The emergency powers, which allow the government to take drastic measures including declaring immediate border closures, will expire on Friday after more than two-and-a-half years, Premier Mark McGowan has announced.

In a surprise move, the government will not immediately enact replacement powers rushed through the Labor-controlled parliament earlier this month.

The temporary COVID-19 declarations can be used to enforce mask-wearing and isolation requirements but do not allow for border closures.

Mr McGowan said the measures will only be activated when necessary and could be triggered by a spike in infections or the emergence of new variants.

"It's there and available should we require it," he told reporters on Monday.

Public hospitals will individually manage mask and visitor restrictions while still requiring staff and visitors to stay away when acutely unwell.

The government has also flagged it will commission an independent review of WA's COVID-19 pandemic response, including the border closures which proved popular among voters but were criticised by business leaders.

Mr McGowan said the review would ensure preparedness for future pandemics, with details to be released in coming months.

"No one's perfect. Perhaps they'll find that. But I can't think of anywhere in the world that did better than Western Australia in a health or economic sense," he said.

"My view is, being extremely cautious worked. Doing things that were unthinkable one day, and implementing them the next, worked. As a consequence, we came out of it barely touched by the pandemic.

"Generally speaking, I wouldn't have done anything differently."

A public health clinic to assist people experiencing long-COVID symptoms has meanwhile opened in the Perth suburb of Bentley.

It will cater to local residents aged 16 and over with GP referrals who are experiencing ongoing symptoms and have been screened to rule out other conditions.

Nurses have threatened rolling work stoppages at hospitals in coming weeks amid a standoff over pay and nurse to patient ratios.

The government has agreed to introduce ratios but says it will take years, not months.

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson would not be drawn on whether WA Health could seek an intervention from the industrial umpire.

"Any action that's going to compromise patient care, we would need to deal with," she said.