Consideration and analysis of public information disclosure and personal information protection in epidemic response

The disclosure of public information in epidemic prevention and control is the key to the credibility of the government. The timely and accurate disclosure of epidemic monitoring information highlights the responsibility of the government. The release of information on the activities of confirmed cases is beneficial to the precise prevention of the epidemic situation. In dealing with the epidemic situation, the protection of personal privacy information is a basic right and interest of individuals, which should adhere to the ethical principle of 'people-oriented', not only to ensure the safety of the individual's life, but also to safeguard the individual's dignity. The disclosure of public information should be based on the protection of individual privacy. Government departments should strengthen the effective supervision of information security whilst making public health monitoring information in a timely manner. Information concerning the privacy of individuals must be properly protected. In view of the emergency needs of epidemic prevention and control, professional and technical institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and medical institutions have the legitimacy of access to personal information and the protection of personal privacy mandatory at special times. From the viewpoint of interest distribution, conflict and coordination between the public's right to know and the individual's right to privacy in epidemic prevention and control are in essence the restriction and balance between public interest and individual interest. In the special period of the epidemic response, the government and relevant departments need to properly coordinate the tension between individual interests and public interests. They should not maximise public interests at the expense of individual interests, and they should safeguard individual interest and public interest. In response to an epidemic, when it is necessary to restrict or interfere with certain individual rights for reasons of public interest, the infringement of citizens' rights should be kept to a minimum. The appropriate restriction of individual rights and interests should be in accordance with the reasonable requirement of the collective protection of public interests and should be a temporary measure that must be taken in view of the situation at that time.