By: Dayang Nur Afrina Afiqah Binti Abang Jamuri
To combat the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID -19) in their communities, several states, territories, and municipalities have issued public health protection measures, including stay-at-home instructions, temporary school and business closures, and limiting the size of public gatherings. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested that public health agencies establish comprehensive "contact tracing" methods to avoid the re-emergence of widespread diseases when communities reopen in preparation for the eventual removal of these restrictions. Digital contact tracing technologies make it easier to electronically record and maintain patient data, including contact identification, than conventional contact tracing alone. To limit the Covid 19 epidemic, China, Singapore, and South Korea, among other nations, have effectively adopted digital surveillance and tracking. However, the shift away from conventional contact tracking methods with electronic data collection technology has raised issues regarding how federal health information privacy regulations can apply to electronic or digital contact tracking. Therefore, it is both feasible and prudent for the government of Malaysia to address the inherent conflict between the right to privacy and the data protection of individuals.
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