The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Tuesday said that its smartphone contact registration system is legal and solely for contact tracing.
Chinese-language media on Tuesday quoted two local health officials as saying that the registration system has limited use in contact tracing, as there is an enormous volume of data and the center is sometimes slow to provide it.
The system was launched on May 19, allowing people to scan a QR code at public venues or stores, with a text message containing data of the visit sent to the Centers for Disease Control.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), who is deputy head of the CECC, said that the system was launched to assist with contact tracing and the messages only include necessary data — the user’s phone number, a venue code and a time stamp.
The messages only show when the QR code was scanned, not details such as how long the people stayed at the venue, so that data must be obtained through precise contact tracing, Chen said.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC, said that the system was launched to allow people to register more easily and to assist contact tracing personnel to locate where confirmed cases have been.
The data are used legally, legitimately and out of necessity, he said.
A mask mandate and mandatory registration were implemented based on the level 3 COVID-19 alert standards in accordance with the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法), he said.
The free text message is sent with the consent of the phone’s owner, the data are not collected by venues, and telecoms send the information to the CECC and delete the data after 28 days, Chen Shih-chung said.
Health officials use the data to identify locations that confirmed cases visited, find possible close contacts and conduct disinfection, he said.
As of Tuesday, 16 cities and counties have submitted 303 requests for the data, with Taoyuan, Kaohsiung and Taichung the top three local governments to access the data, he said.
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