Mobile application for effectively breaking chains of COVID-19 transmission to be introduced in autumn   

The amendments made to the Communicable Diseases Act enable the development of a mobile application that helps break the chains of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission more effectively. The Government submitted the bill amending the Communicable Diseases Act for approval and the President of the Republic approved the bill on Thursday 9 July. The Act amending the Communicable Diseases Act will enter into force on 31 August 2020.

An information system consisting of a mobile application and a back-end system will be developed to break the chains of COVID-19 transmission more effectively. The use of the application will be voluntary, and the application will be developed with due respect for data protection, data security and fundamental rights. 

The aim of the application is to support the management of the coronavirus epidemic and help prevent the spread of coronavirus. The application can also be used to alert people who have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus but who does not know or remember meeting them.

With the mobile application, people can help prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect their own health and that of their loved ones. They can use the application to forward the information on their potential exposure to the healthcare services and quickly receive information on what to do next.

The information system will not replace the work done by healthcare units to trace those exposed, but it will, however, help contact more people who may have been exposed to the virus. 

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare is responsible for developing the information system. The Social Insurance Institution of Finland will maintain the back-end system related to the information system. The National Cyber Security Centre, which operates within the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, will assess the data security of the information system, whereas the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) will supervise the data security of the information system. 

Inquiries

Outi Äyräs-Blumberg, Senior Specialist, [email protected]

Minna Saario, Director, [email protected]