Approval process for database access

We take protecting your personal information seriously. As a result, we have a multi-member Access Approval Task Force that reviews each data access request and approves or denies it based on the following procedures (Note: in all cases, requestors must agree to terms of use):

For govt officials with .gov addresses: Immediate access granted after validation of requestor’s position.

For non-profits, hospital/university administrators: Task force conducts online vetting of entity and may reach out with additional clarifying questions prior to reaching a decision.

For current or prospective local organizers: Task force conducts online vetting of requestor prior to scheduling a brief Zoom meeting with requestor. After the Zoom meeting, the task force makes decision. In most cases, only access to regional data will be shared with local organizer.

For for-profit testing sites: We will not directly share private information with for-profit companies. However, we will coordinate opt-in procedures for for-profit testing centers that are or will soon be approved for COVID-19 testing. In these situations, the task force conducts online vetting of the company prior to scheduling a brief Zoom meeting with requestor. If the company meets certain requirements, we will offer to contact volunteer scientists from the database located near the requesting company and give these volunteers the option to opt-in to having their information shared with the company for COVID-19 purposes only.

**Under no circumstances will we grant access to companies trying to advertise or sell products of any kind, or those trying to recruit employees for non-COVID19 purposes. If you are ever contacted by an entity misusing the database in this manner, we ask you to report it to us immediately at COVID19SciVolunteers@gmail.com**