Californians can expect some personal questions when getting a coronavirus test.
Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly says testing facilities and doctors will be required to report the sexual orientation, gender identity, race and ethnicity of patients. In fact, the requirement now applies to all transmittable diseases.
"Improving our data is like getting a new pair of glasses that helps us see more clearly or using binoculars that help us see a little further out," Ghaly said at a briefing Tuesday.
San Francisco Democratic state Sen. Scott Weiner has been pushing for the state to get this information. He says when it comes to the health care system, the LGBTQ community has suffered a long history of government neglect. Dr. Ghaly added that certain ethnic groups, including Latinos, face disproportionate risk from COVID-19.
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