ALBANY (WCBS 880) — Lawmakers in Albany on Tuesday proposed creating a COVID-19 health registry to monitor the long-term effects of the virus.
By some estimates, between 2% to 25% of all COVID survivors have logged some form of post-COVID syndrome symptoms – many for weeks and even months after their recovery.
Little is still known about the lasting health effects. This is why, State Sen. Brad Hoylman has introduced a bill that would create a voluntary registry that would assist the Department of Health in studying the lingering symptoms.
“We owe it to New Yorkers who have been afflicted with long-COVID to track their long-term health outcomes in order to develop strategies to help them cope with this syndrome and understand the scope of this growing public health concern,” he said.
New York COVID-19 Health Registry will provide baseline health data but does not include a treatment program nor would it fund research. It is modeled after the World Trade Center Health Registry created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
“It’s estimated that more than 10 percent of COVID-19 infections will develop into ‘Long COVID,’ the symptoms of which can include lingering respiratory problems, difficulty concentrating and potentially long-term disabilities,” Hoylman said in a statement.
The bill currently has 17 co-sponsors in the New York state Senate.
The bill also plans to have a special focus on enrollees belonging to racial or ethnic groups that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hoylman is urging his colleagues to support the legislation, noting that the effects of COVID will likely continue to affect New Yorkers for years to come.
“This is a public help crisis that is burgeoning,” he said.
Stay informed, stay connected — follow WCBS 880 on Facebook and Twitter. Download the RADIO.COM app + favorite WCBS 880 for breaking news, traffic and weather alerts.