                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

(FOR CONTINGENT EFFECTIVE DATE, SEE ACTS 2021, SP. SESS. I, C. 472, CL. 2)
REAL-TIME INFORMATION SHARING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AGENCIES (§
32.1-48.001)

A. The Department shall develop and implement a system for sharing information
regarding confirmed cases of communicable diseases of public health threat with
emergency medical services agencies in real time during a declared public health
emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat, in order to
protect the health and safety of emergency medical services personnel and the
public. Such system shall include information about the location of confirmed
cases of the communicable disease of public health threat, including the address
of such location; the number of confirmed and suspected cases of the
communicable disease of public health threat at each such location; any measures
implemented at such location to prevent exposing others to the communicable
disease of public health threat; and any other information that the Department
shall deem appropriate. Such system shall be updated in real time to reflect
each confirmed case of the communicable disease of public health threat.

B. During a declared public health emergency related to a communicable disease
of public health threat, every local and district health department in the
Commonwealth shall report information regarding confirmed and suspected cases of
the communicable disease of public health threat to the Department, in a format
specified by the Board, for inclusion in the system developed pursuant to
subsection A.

C. Information contained in the system developed pursuant to subsection A shall
be made available to every emergency medical services agency in the Commonwealth
and shall be used by such emergency medical services agencies for the purpose of
(i) developing protocols to ensure the safety of emergency medical services
personnel and the public when responding to calls for assistance at locations at
which a case of the communicable disease of public health threat has been
confirmed, including protocols related to appropriate staffing of the emergency
medical services agency and the availability and use of appropriate equipment,
including personal protective equipment, by emergency medical services personnel
when responding to such calls, and (ii) during a declared public health
emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat, identifying
specific locations at which a case of such communicable disease of public health
threat has been confirmed for the purpose of implementing such protocols when
responding to calls for assistance.

D. The Department shall make information submitted pursuant to subsection B and
any other information contained in the system developed pursuant to subsection A
available, upon request, to the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board and
each regional emergency medical services council, for the purpose of monitoring
and improving the quality of emergency medical services in the Commonwealth.

E. The Department shall regularly consult with the Emergency Medical Services
Advisory Board to identify the types of information that should be included in
the system developed pursuant to subsection A and to revise reporting
requirements for local and district health departments pursuant to subsection B.

F. Information contained in the system developed pursuant to subsection A shall
be confidential and shall not be disclosed except in accordance with this
section.

HISTORY: 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 472.