First Responders Receiving COVID-19 Patient Information
- April 09, 2020
NBC News (4/8) reports, “In a growing number of cities and states, local governments are collecting the addresses of people who test positive for the coronavirus and sharing the lists with police and first responders.” According to NBC News, “Law enforcement officials say this information sharing – which is underway in Massachusetts, Alabama and Florida, and in select areas of North Carolina – will help keep officers and EMTs safe as they respond to calls at the homes of people who have been infected. The first responders can take additional precautions in those cases to avoid being exposed to the virus, state health departments and local police officials say,” but “some public health experts and privacy advocates have raised concerns about police departments maintaining a list of addresses of confirmed coronavirus cases.”
The Arizona Republic (4/8, Vandell) reports, “Yuma County police and fire departments will be given the names and addresses of positive and pending COVID-19 cases, according to an order handed down by Yuma County Superior Court judge last week.” According to the Republic, “The order came after the city filed a lawsuit against the county health department on behalf of its police and fire chiefs.”