The Use of Digital Measures to Combat COVID-19

Synopsis: This paper has been produced to support the COVID-19 Ad Hoc Committee and the Health Committee with their scrutiny of the pandemic response. The purpose of this paper is to provide information for the health committee on the use of digital measures aimed at combating the novel coronavirus COVID-19, specifically contact tracing apps and the use of ‘big data’. The paper will examine the current and potential uses of both types of measures at various stages of the pandemic as well as the technical and ethical challenges that they present. The focus of this paper will be on the use of these measures in a European and UK context with reference to international experiences where appropriate.

Date: 26 May 2020