2021 -- S 0711 AS AMENDED | |
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LC002403 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021 | |
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N | |
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF | |
HEALTH INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF ACTIVITIES THAT EXPOSE PEOPLE | |
TO TICKS, BETTER EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE SYMPTOMS OF LYME | |
DISEASE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DETECTION, AND UPDATE THEIR | |
FINDINGS, DATA, AND PHYSICIAN PROTOCOLS WITH REGARDS TO THE EARLY | |
DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF LYME DISEASE | |
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Introduced By: Senator Stephen R. Archambault | |
Date Introduced: March 26, 2021 | |
Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services | |
1 | WHEREAS, Lyme Disease can be cured if detected and diagnosed early and if treatment |
2 | is administered in the very early stages of disease offers the highest potential for therapeutic |
3 | effect; and |
4 | WHEREAS, Lyme Disease shares a number of symptoms with COVID-19, including |
5 | fever, achiness and chills; and |
6 | WHEREAS, Current diagnostic laboratory tests for Lyme Disease are available but are |
7 | not yet 100% accurate; and |
8 | WHEREAS, Lyme Disease shares a number of symptoms with COVID-19, including |
9 | fever, achiness and chills; and |
10 | WHEREAS, Anyone who mistakes Lyme disease for COVID-19 could unknowingly |
11 | delay necessary medical treatment; and |
12 | WHEREAS, Delays in the treatment of Lyme disease can lead to more severe and |
13 | persistent symptoms that are much more difficult to treat including neurological and cognitive |
14 | problems, potentially fatal heart problems and painful arthritis; and |
15 | WHEREAS, Chapter 37.5 of title 5 provides for insurance coverage for the treatment of |
16 | Lyme Disease; and |
17 | WHEREAS, Recent reports suggest that wildlife have become more bold, wandering into |
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1 | suburbs and cities where human and vehicle traffic are reduced because of COVID-19; and |
2 | WHEREAS, White-tailed deer, prevalent in Rhode Island, are an important host to |
3 | multiple human biting tick species; and |
4 | WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies Rhode |
5 | Island as a High Incidence State for Lyme Disease; and |
6 | WHEREAS, Awareness is a key component of preventing and treating tick-borne |
7 | disease; and |
8 | WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Department of Health provides online information for |
9 | patients as well as diagnostic information and treatment protocols for physicians regarding Lyme |
10 | Disease and other tick-borne diseases on its website, now, therefore be it |
11 | RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island respectfully requests that: |
12 | The Rhode Island Department of Health (the "Department") solicit public service |
13 | announcements designed to increase awareness of the activities that expose people to |
14 | ticks, inform the public as to current best practices for protection again tick bites as well |
15 | as the symptoms of Lyme Disease and the importance of early detection and timely |
16 | treatment; and |
17 | That the Department regularly advise physicians to consider the possibility of tick-borne |
18 | disease in their patients especially noting the prevalence of ticks in Rhode Island and the |
19 | potential overlap in symptoms with COVID-19; and |
20 | That the Department regularly advise physicians of the resources available on their |
21 | website for diagnosis and treatment of Lyme Disease, the importance of early diagnosis |
22 | and early treatment and the latest treatment protocol for proper implementation of RIGL |
23 | chapter 37.5 of title 5; and |
24 | That the Department update their findings, website information, data and physician |
25 | protocols with regard to early detection, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme Disease and |
26 | other tick-borne illnesses based on current data from the CDC and other reliable sources |
27 | when new information is discovered or new protocols developed but at least yearly; and |
28 | That the Department notify physicians when findings and treatment protocols have been |
29 | updated; and be it further |
30 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
31 | transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Director Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, |
32 | Rhode Island Department of Health. |
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LC002403 | |
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