Important update: Healthcare facilities
CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more
UPDATE
Given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, CDC has updated the guidance for fully vaccinated people. CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place.
UPDATE
The White House announced that vaccines will be required for international travelers coming into the United States, with an effective date of November 8, 2021. For purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines. More information is available here.

Information for Health Departments on Reporting Cases of COVID-19

Information for Health Departments on Reporting Cases of COVID-19
Updated Dec. 5, 2023

CDC is reviewing this page to align with the expiration of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is a disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 is a nationally notifiable disease and reporting cases to CDC is supported by routine case notification through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), as well as resources provided through CDC’s Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division (CORVD).

Reporting COVID-19 Cases to CDC

Please note: COVID-19 case reporting forms and templates are intended for use by health departments. Individuals or organizations with questions about reporting a case should contact their local health department.

The COVID-19 worksheet [201 KB, 6 pages] collects key information on COVID-19 case-patients, including:

  • Demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic characteristics
  • Exposure and contact history
  • Course of clinical illness and care received

The COVID-19 worksheet standardizes the reporting of information on COVID-19 cases from jurisdictional health departments to CDC. New indicators for continued COVID-19 surveillance [PDF – 354 KB] after the expiration of the public health emergency are being monitored from sustainable data sources to guide COVID-19 prevention efforts.

Resources to support jurisdictional health departments submit COVID-19 case data to CDC:

Please note that the worksheet, instructions, and data dictionary were updated on May 18, 2022

Changes include:

  • Addition of 5th and 6th vaccine repeating groups and lineage variable to template, dictionary, and instructions.
  • Removal of variables that had been discontinued in May 2020 from dictionary and template.
  • Addition of instructions for optional creation and submission of 2020 static dataset to submission instructions.

Archive: Case Report Form [201 KB, 2 pages], May 2020 (Note: this Case Report Form does not include vaccine history data). Jurisdictions may continue to use the Case Report Form as needed.