Klaaren J, Breckenridge K, Cachalia F, Fonn S, Veller M
School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
S Afr Med J. 2020 Jun 4;110(7):617-620.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa (SA) has established a Tracing Database, collecting both aggregated and individualised mobility and locational data on COVID-19 cases and their contacts. There are compelling public health reasons for this development, since the database has the potential to assist with policy formulation and with contact tracing. While potentially demonstrating the rapid facilitation through technology of an important public service, the Tracing Database does, however, infringe immediately upon constitutional rights to privacy and heightens the implications of ethical choices facing medical professionals. The medical community should be aware of this surveillance innovation and the risks and rewards it raises. To deal with some of these risks, including the potential for temporary rights- infringing measures to become permanent, there are significant safeguards designed into the Tracing Database, including a strict duration requirement and reporting to a designated judge. African states including SA should monitor this form of contact tracing closely, and also encourage knowledge-sharing among cross-sectoral interventions such as the Tracing Database in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
为应对新冠疫情，南非建立了一个追踪数据库，收集有关新冠病例及其接触者的汇总和个性化流动及位置数据。这一举措有令人信服的公共卫生理由，因为该数据库有可能协助政策制定和接触者追踪。虽然追踪数据库有可能展示通过技术迅速提供一项重要公共服务的情况，但它确实立即侵犯了宪法规定的隐私权，并加剧了医疗专业人员面临的伦理选择的影响。医学界应该意识到这种监测创新及其带来的风险和回报。为应对其中一些风险，包括临时侵犯权利措施可能永久化的可能性，追踪数据库设计了重大保障措施，包括严格的期限要求和向指定法官报告。包括南非在内的非洲国家应密切监测这种接触者追踪形式，并鼓励在应对新冠疫情时，在诸如追踪数据库等跨部门干预措施之间进行知识共享。
