# Plain Language Summary: Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act of 2021

This bill requires the federal government to collect and publicly share detailed information about how COVID-19 affected different groups of people in America. Specifically, it directs health agencies to gather data broken down by race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability status, and other demographic factors so we can see which communities were hit hardest by the pandemic. The bill also requires this information to be made available to the public in a clear, accessible format so researchers, journalists, and everyday people can understand the real impacts of COVID-19 across different populations.

The main goal is to fix a problem that happened during the pandemic: early on, the government didn't consistently collect or share this kind of detailed demographic data, which made it hard to see that COVID-19 was affecting some communities much more severely than others. Without this information, it was difficult for public health officials to target resources where they were needed most or for communities to advocate for help. This bill aims to make sure that if another health crisis happens, we'll have better information from the start about who is being affected and how.

The bill also requires federal agencies to work together to standardize how they collect this data, so information is consistent across different parts of the government. It emphasizes that this data should be collected in ways that protect people's privacy and that the information should be shared regularly so the public can track what's happening in real time rather than waiting for reports months or years later.

Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID–19 Act of 2021

Pressley, Ayanna

Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act of 2021 This bill expands data collection and reporting on demographic information and disparities related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). During the COVID-19 emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services must publish data on COVID-19 testing, treatment, vaccinations, and outcomes on the&nbsp;CDC website. They must update the data daily and disaggregate it by race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors. In addition, the Indian Health Service must consult with tribal nations about COVID-19 data collection and reporting. The Department of Health and Human Services must make a summary of final statistics related to COVID-19 publicly available and report specified information to Congress within 60 days of the end of the COVID-19 emergency. The bill also establishes the Commission on Ensuring Data for Health Equity. The commission must determine approaches to using data to reduce disparities in health outcomes, including specifically with respect to COVID-19. In addition, it must provide recommendations to improve demographic data collection and use in future public health emergencies.