Question

Suppose the CDC has just identified the first confirmed coronavirus patient in NYC. You are a reporter with WABC7 Eyewitness News or with the New York Times or with BuzzFeed News (your choice of news organization). Your beat is covering local health issues. You obtain the name and a lot of other information about the first NYC coronavirus patient from your cousin, who works at the CDC and has lawfully given you a government report containing that information. Do you broadcast/publish the coronavirus patient's name? His nationality? His age? The neighborhood he lives in? His job? Anything at all? Why or why not? Is this important information that your viewers or readers need to know? Respond both legally and ethically

Answer 1

From legal perspective , we believe there is no law requiring COVID-19-infected inhabitants to disclose their identity so far as in as much as the contaminated occupants self-isolate as per ordered social removing rules and rules.

Beside the non-disclosure assurances given to certain medical records accommodated under Public Health Law, and under the Mental Hygiene Law New York State doesn't intrinsically or legally ensure a right of protection with regards to an individual's enthusiasm for keeping their wellbeing status secret.

Also as per the federal laws there as per the constitution people’s privacy are secured.

We believe as per both the legal and ethical practices the reports should not disclose the name and other identity of the person infected. The area of the person may be disclosed but not in the media but in private to the required authorities or the building so that all safety norms are taken care.

Notwithstanding, there seems to be general agreement among many lawyers that administration may unveil the way that people infected with COVID-19 are living in the neighborhoods, however, ought not recognize explicit contaminated people.

So, there is no easy answer because there are high chances that disclosing on the media can violate the privacy laws and also may not be ethically. However, the disclosure can be done to required authorities.