HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 03-17-2026; 8-c - Long COVID Awareness Month Proclamation 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 17, 2026
Action Agenda
Item No. 8-c
SUBJECT: Long COVID Awareness Month Proclamation
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Laura Jensen, 919-245-2130
PURPOSE: To approve a proclamation recognizing March 2026 as Long COVID Awareness
Month and retroactively designate March 15, 2026, as "Long COVID Awareness Day" in Orange
County.
BACKGROUND: Long COVID is a systemic and often debilitating and disabling long-term
outcome of an acute COVID - 19 infection and has the potential to worsen pre-existing health
conditions and can even cause death months to years after an acute COVID - 19 infection. Long
COVID also disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities, women, the elderly, people
with disabilities, and those with lower incomes. According to the Centers for Disease Control,
millions of U.S. adults and children have been affected by Long COVID.
Many health care providers are unprepared to identify, diagnose, or treat Long COVID due to a
lack of education and information, and some providers refrain from making a Long COVID
diagnosis at all. There are no approved cures for Long COVID, and most of the treatments involve
addressing individual symptoms using established therapies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of this
proclamation.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports:
• VISION STATEMENT: We are a diverse, inclusive, and healthy county working together
to strengthen our community and enhance the quality of life for all residents.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the
Chair to sign the proclamation.
2
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROCLAMATION
LONG COVID AWARENESS MONTH - MARCH 2O26
Whereas, Long COVID is a systemic and often debilitating and disabling long-term
outcome of an acute COVID - 19 infection; and
Whereas, Long COVID has the potential to worsen pre-existing health conditions and can
even cause death months to years after an acute COVID - 19 infection; and
Whereas, there are more than 200 documented Long COVID symptoms, which can vary
from person to person and can include fatigue, cognitive impairment, muscle orjoint pain,
shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sleep difficulties, mood changes, and damage to
organ systems and tissue; and
Whereas, Long COVID can trigger other infection-associated chronic conditions such as
postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and other forms of dysautonomia, mast cell
activation syndrome, fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome,
and many others; and
Whereas, there is no single diagnostic test or protocol to confirm a Long COVID
diagnosis; and
Whereas, many providers are unprepared to identify, diagnose, or treat Long COVID due
to a lack of education and information, and some providers refrain from making a Long
COVID diagnosis at all; and
Whereas, millions of U.S. adults and children have been affected by Long COVID
according to the Centers for Disease Control, and Long COVID disproportionately affects
racial and ethnic minorities, women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and those with
lower incomes; and
Whereas, there are no approved cures for Long COVID, and most of the treatments
involve addressing individual symptoms using established therapies; and
Whereas, investing in Long COVID research and promoting the development of treatment
and diagnostic tools remain priorities to improve the quality of life for those impacted by
Long COVID;
NOW THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby
proclaim March 2026 as Long COVID Awareness Month and retroactively designate
March 15, 2026, as "Long COVID Awareness Day" in Orange County, recognizing
patients and their families and caregivers who are affected by Long COVID.
This the 17th day of March, 2026.
Jean Hamilton, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners