Covid-19, Data Protection and Contact Tracing

22nd March 2020 

Introduction

Contract tracing is one of the key strategies that the Irish Government is using to address the Covid- 19 pandemic. Contact tracing is being conducted by a multi-disciplinary team under the guidance of the HSE. The HPSC guidance1 states

“All persons identified as having had contact with a confirmed case or a highly likely suspected case should be assessed to see if they should be classified as a close or casual contact.

A contact tracing form should be completed for each contact to collect relevant demographic, epidemiological and exposure data”2.

Covid-19 and Contact Tracing

On March 20th2020, the HSE announced that it is developing a national rapid, large scale system of notification and contact management. “It has been designed, and has been built, to have the capacity to communicate with tens of thousands of contacts per day”3. People may be contacted by phone or text message through this programme to inform them that they may be a close or casual contact of someone who has contracted Covid-19.

As a business, you need to consider how you will manage personal information if contacted regarding possible exposure to Covid-19.

Please see attached document for further details.