The novel coronavirus pandemic has prompted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to move up to April 1 the adoption date for a diagnosis code for COVID-19 disease.
The CDC had originally issued the code U07.1, COVID-19 and said it would take effect with the next update of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), scheduled for October 1, 2020.
However, the coronavirus emergency has prompted the agency to move up that timeline to April, the CDC stated in a March 18 press release. The change was due to the "urgent need to capture the reporting of this condition in our nation's claims and surveillance data," the agency said
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
