H2400 — An Act measuring the impact of Long COVID in the Commonwealth

Summary

An Act measuring the impact of Long COVID in the Commonwealth

Bill Text

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This bill establishes a framework for the surveillance of Long COVID in the Commonwealth, creating specific tasks for the department to improve understanding of the condition's prevalence and impact.

• Chapter 111, Section 245

  (a) The department shall create a surveillance case definition for Long COVID also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) that aligns with the definition established by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the diverse associated conditions as described in it.

  This adds the requirement for the department to create a case definition for Long COVID.

• Chapter 111, Section 245

  (b) The department shall determine the most effective and efficient method to conduct active surveillance on the condition known as Long COVID (PASC) to better understand its prevalence and impact on the Commonwealth’s population and health care systems and inform public health interventions.

  This mandates the department to find effective methods for conducting active surveillance of Long COVID.

• Chapter 111, Section 245

  (c) The department shall develop a case report form to support these active surveillance efforts. This case report form may collect the following information on patients diagnosed with Long COVID (PASC): (i) gender identity, (ii) race, (iii) year of birth, (iv) county of residence, (v) state of residence (vi) primary language, (vii) presenting symptom(s) or condition(s) allowing for the diagnosis, (ix) date of initial infection with COVID-19, (x) date of onset of Long COVID (PASC) symptoms, (xi) county of diagnosis. The case report form may collect information on treatment received and referrals provided.

  This introduces a new requirement for the department to create a case report form for collecting specific demographic and clinical data on Long COVID patients.

• Chapter 111, Section 245

  (d) The department shall commence active public health surveillance of Long COVID (PASC) six months after enactment of this act. The department shall determine the frequency to make statewide surveillance reports available to the public, no less than on an annual basis.

  This establishes a timeline for the department to begin public health surveillance of Long COVID.

• Chapter 111, Section 245

  (e) Not later than one year after the enactment of this act the department shall provide a report to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and to the chairs of the joint committee on public health on the progress of the commonwealth’s Long COVID (PASC) surveillance efforts. The report shall include the status of the development and dissemination of a surveillance form, the department outreach and education on Long COVID (PASC) surveillance, and initial surveillance results.

  This requires the department to submit a report on its surveillance efforts related to Long COVID within a year after the bill's enactment.

Sponsors

• Mindy Domb · Primary

Subjects