Security lapse exposes hundreds of addresses of Minnesotans infected with COVID-19

Jay Kolls reports:

In April, Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order allowing the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to share addresses of COVID-19 patients with first responders across Minnesota.

The governor imposed strict guidelines for sharing those addresses to protect the identity of Minnesotans with COVID-19. MDH and DPS also set up protocols that required the addresses be sent via encrypted emails and only to the 911 dispatch centers close to where the patients lived.

But 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS obtained internal city and state documents which show there have been numerous times, starting in August, where those protocols were not followed and the privacy of addresses of COVID-19 patients was compromised.