Rhode Island’s State Senate has passed a resolution directing state health officials to educate the public and provide physicians with the latest information concerning Lyme disease.

The resolution, authored by State Senator Stephen R. Archambault, states in part:

Be it RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island respectfully requests that:

1. The Rhode Island Department of Health (the “Department”) solicit public service announcements designed to increase awareness of the activities that expose people to ticks, inform the public as to current best practices for protection again tick bites as well as the symptoms of Lyme disease and the importance of early detection and timely treatment; and
2. That the Department regularly advise physicians to consider the possibility of tick-borne disease in their patients especially noting the prevalence of ticks in Rhode Island and the potential overlap in symptoms with COVID-19; and
3. That the Department regularly advise physicians of the resources available on their website for diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease, the importance of early diagnosis and early treatment and the latest treatment protocol for proper implementation of RIGL chapter 37.5 of title 5; and
4. That the Department update their findings, website information, data and physician protocols with regard to early detection, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses based on current data from the CDC and other reliable sources when new information is discovered or new protocols developed but at least yearly; and
5. That the Department notify physicians when findings and treatment protocols have been updated.

Click here to read S-0711 as amended, in its entirety: RI Lyme Disease Resolution