Res. No. 256

Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign, the COVID-19 Long Haulers Act

By Council Members Cabán, Hanif, Joseph, Menin, Nurse, Gutiérrez, Sanchez and Riley

                     Whereas, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects; and

                     Whereas, Post-COVID conditions, or what doctors refer to as “post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC),” are also referred to as “long COVID,” “long-haul COVID,” “post-acute COVID-19,” “long-term effects of COVID,” and “chronic COVID”; and

                     Whereas, Long COVID conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19; and

                     Whereas, Anyone who was infected can experience long COVID, and, while most people with long COVID experienced symptoms days after being infected with SARS CoV-2 and were aware they had COVID-19, some people who later experienced long COVID were never aware of their initial infection; and

                     Whereas, Long COVID can include a wide range of ongoing health problems that last weeks, months, or years; and

                     Whereas, Symptoms of long COVID can include tiredness, fatigue that interferes with daily life, fever, and respiratory and heart symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, fast-beating or pounding heart; and

                     Whereas, Symptoms can also include neurological symptoms, such as difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”), headaches, sleep problems, dizziness when a person stands up, sensations of pins-and-needles, changes in smell or taste, depression or anxiety, digestive symptoms, joint or muscle pain, rash, or changes in menstrual cycle; and

                     Whereas, People who have had COVID-19 may be more likely to develop new health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, or neurological conditions compared with people who have not had COVID-19; and

                     Whereas, According to the news outlet Axios, as many as 24 million Americans may have experienced long COVID symptoms; and

                     Whereas, CDC estimates of the proportion of people who had COVID-19 that go on to experience post-COVID conditions include 13.3 percent at one month or longer after infection, and 2.5 percent at three months or longer, based on self-reporting; and

                     Whereas, For those who were hospitalized, more than 30 percent experienced long COVID symptoms at 6 months; and

                     Whereas, Utilizing CDC estimates, at least tens of thousands of New Yorkers may be living with some long-term health impacts of COVID-19; and

                     Whereas, Given the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Latino communities, immigrant communities, older communities, and others, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic when vaccines were not available, important and clear equity concerns are tied to this topic; and

                     Whereas, H.R.2754, sponsored by Representative Donald Beyer, requires multiple agencies to carry out research and other activities concerning individuals experiencing long COVID-19, including health disparities related to this condition; and

                     Whereas, H.R.2754, otherwise known as the COVID-19 Long Haulers Act, requires the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund to support a patient registry to collect information on the symptoms, treatment, demographics, and other relevant data of COVID-19 patients; and

                     Whereas, The Act also requires the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to conduct or support research on the U.S. health care system's response to long COVID, and AHRQ would also develop protocols and guidance to educate medical professionals about long COVID diagnostics, treatment, and care; and

                     Whereas, The Act requires the CDC to disseminate information about the common symptoms, treatment options, and disparities that pertain to long COVID and related post-infectious illnesses;

                     Whereas, The Act also calls on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to expand its Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse to collect data on items and services furnished through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program to individuals who experience long COVID; and

                     Whereas, The Act includes health equity related research and actions, including requiring AHRQ to evaluate whether diagnosis, access to care, or treatment associated with medical providers and care delivered in different settings varied by gender, disability, geography, race, and ethnicity; and

                     Whereas, The COVID-19 Long Haulers Act will increase research, education, and understanding of long COVID, and will help address the related health, social, and fiscal impacts; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign, the COVID-19 Long Haulers Act.

Session 12

EB

LS 9441

06.23.2022