A County Health Department’s Protocols for Sharing COVID-19 Information with First Responders
April 4, 2020
Overview
During this pandemic, public health may be asked to share patient specific COVID-19 information with first responders so that emergency medical transport personnel will be able to provide treatment to an individual with COVID-19 while transporting that person to a hospital. Public health may also determine it appropriate to share this information because first responders are at risk of infection and the disclosure is authorized by state law. Finally, the health department may share the names and addresses of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to first responders if it believes in good faith that it is necessary to prevent or minimize the threat of imminent exposure in discharging their duties. Please see the FAQs which explain these permitted disclosures.
Here is one county health department’s protocols for sharing COVID-19 identifiable patient information with first responders.
