COVID-19: Human Rights Implications of Digital Certificates for Health Status Verification: Expert Semi-Structured Interview Transcripts, 2020-2021

The data relates to the project COVID-19: Human Rights Implications of Digital Certificates for Health Status Verification. The study aimed at analysing the implications of Covid-19 health status certificates for data privacy and human rights. These certificates are also commonly referred to as digital health passports. Covid-19 health status certificates are defined in the study as an all-encompassing term, referring to the digital and paper-based certificates that, combined with identity verification, allow individuals to prove their health status (such as the results of Covid-19 tests and vaccination records). The study could draw on twenty semi-structured interviews with technologists and experts in digital identity and certification conducted between December 2020 and March 2021, as well as disciplinary and interdisciplinary literature reviews and evaluations of primary and secondary sources of law.

The UK government announced it would consider establishing "immunity passports" as part of a lockdown exit strategy during the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19. Digital certificates for verifying immunity, proof of vaccination and COVID-19 test results may contribute to the long-term COVID-19 management strategy, whereby based on their health status, certain individuals would be able to return to work and enjoy their general freedom of movement. Yet, such certificates pose important questions for the protection of data privacy and human rights, given that they would (1) use sensitive personal health information, (2) create a new distinction between individuals based on their health status, and (3) be used to determine the degree of freedoms and rights one may enjoy. The technologies adopted during the current pandemic will have a lasting impact on our societies. They will shape how we respond to the trade-offs between data privacy, human rights, and public health interests. This project will evaluate whether and how digital certificates for health status affect our enjoyment of data privacy and the protection of our human rights, assessing whether there are effective ways to mitigate any potential risks for these rights, thus informing decision-making in this area of crucial national interest.

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