Last updated 11 October 2022
With the release of My Vaccine Pass, the official record of vaccination status in New Zealand, Dr Andrew Chen has been providing expert commentary on its use and potential privacy implications.
Andrew has also been commenting on the Government’s official COVID-19 tracker app.
Andrew has also been providing commentary on other areas including digital privacy, algorithms, and the use of artificial intelligence:
Archived media articles:
Digital aspects of Covid response
Stuff: Covid-19: Black market sales of vaccination passes reported to police (1 December)
Newsroom: Traffic lights: The next phase of the pandemic (30 November)
RNZ: Covid-19 vaccine pass: Changes made to help speed up applications (29 November)
Newsroom: Perilous short circuit in traffic light system (25 November)
Health Informatics New Zealand: Unprecedented demand on call centres following release of My Vaccine Pass (25 November)
TVNZ One News: Ministry of Health confirms vaccine pass verifier app not compulsory (24 November)
TVNZ One News: Not using vaccine pass verification app risks fraud — expert (23 November)
Stuff: Covid-19: Oximeters will still be used for home isolation despite ‘racial bias’ (23 November)
RNZ Midday Report: NZ vaccine pass verifier app launched (3′ 18″)(23 November)
95bFM: The Wire With Jessica: November 19, 2021 (19 November)
Newshub: COVID-19: Kiwis shouldn’t be sharing their vaccine certificates on social media – here’s why (17 November)
Stuff: Covid-19: Cabinet due to reveal detail of Auckland border reopening (17 November)
Magic Talk: How to access your COVID-19 vaccine passport (17 November)
BusinessDesk: ‘Try again tomorrow’: why the vaccine pass site is suffering ($ – 17 November)
Indian Weekender: Vaccine pass could soon include test result too (17 November)
RNZ Nine to Noon: ‘My Vaccine Pass’ launched (17′ 52″)(17 November)
Stuff: Covid vaccine passes ready to go as businesses await details of scheme (17 November)
RNZ First Up: Trialling vaccine passport – working well, released today (5′ 40″)(17 November)
Science Media Centre (Expert Reaction): Vaccine passes available from today – Expert Reaction (17 November)
Stuff: Covid-19: How New Zealand vaccine passes will work and how to get one (13 November)
Stuff: Covid-19: Longer, slower queues for events with vaccine certificates (11 November)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Why Govt is rethinking contact tracing (11 November)
Stuff: Covid-19: Get used to seeing masked-up crowds, more cases as we enter ‘risky’ phase (11 November)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 Delta Outbreak: Spark subsidiary Mattr wins key Vaccine Pass contract ($ – 8 November)
Stuff: Covid-19: What is the best way to get Aucklanders out over Christmas? (7 November)
Stuff: Covid-19: Government releases details of vaccine pass system (5 November)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Contact tracers to ‘prioritise’ new cases based on risk (31 October)
RNZ The Panel: The Panel with Paula Penfold and Chester Burrows (Part 1) (23′ 33″)(28 October)
Science Media Centre (expert reaction): Covid-19 cases in Christchurch – Expert Reaction (28 October)
Stuff: Covid-19: Sweeping vaccine mandate to cover 40 per cent of workforce (27 October)
The Spinoff (6 pm update): Live updates, October 26: New vaccine mandates announced; 40% of workers to require jab (26 October)
Newstalk ZB: Interview (0′ 41″)(26 October)
Science Media Centre (expert reaction): Vaccine mandates for high-risk workplaces – Expert Reaction (26 October)
Stuff: Covid-19: What we know (and don’t know) about vaccine certificates (24 October)
Science Media Centre (expert reaction): New Covid-19 playbook for NZ – Expert Reaction (22 October)
Stuff: Covid-19: Auckland set to join ranks of longest lockdowns globally (19 October)
Stuff: Bach owner frustrated by inability to keep unvaccinated guests out (14 October)
Newsroom: Labour isolated against push for contact tracing data protection (13 October)
95bFM Podcast: The Wire with Jemima (12 October)
1News: Tap-and-go trial for Covid Tracer app (12 October)
1News: NZ should have had vaccine certificate ‘a long time ago’ (6 October)
RNZ: Vaccine certificates: Uncertainty over enforcement, extent of essential services (6 October; republished in Otago Daily Times)
RNZ Morning Report: Vaccine passport will create challenges – tech expert (8′ 17″) (6 October)
Newshub: Coronavirus: Experts react to Government’s vaccine certificate announcement, say it poses ‘number of legal questions’ (6 October)
RNZ: Covid-19 vaccine certificates: How they might work and what questions remain (6 October)
Stuff: Covid-19: Hard to make vaccine certificates completely ‘fraud-proof’, but extra ID checks will help (6 October)
Skykiwi: 疫苗证书马上要推出 业界希望有更清晰的使用规则 | Google Translate: Vaccine certificate will be launched soon, the industry hopes to have clearer rules of use (6 October)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Businesses seek more clarity over vaccine certificate enforcement (6 October)
Stuff: ‘Either yes or no’: Hospitality operators urge certainty on Covid vaccination certificates (5 October)
Stuff: University, local businesses to trial tap-and-go technology as part of Covid tracer app (1 October)
Stuff: MIQueue: What are the alternatives to two weeks in a hotel? (29 September)
Stuff: Covid-19: Vaccine passports needed to curb future Delta outbreaks, expert says (24 September)
Science Media Centre (expert reaction): Auckland moves to Level 3 – Expert Reaction (20 September)
SkyKiwi: 新西兰的新冠疫苗护照能跟中国互通吗？华人专家这么说 | Google Translate: Can New Zealand’s new crown vaccine passport communicate with China? Chinese experts say so (20 September)
Stuff: Covid-19: Govt considers rules against paper contact-tracing data misuse, a year after concerns raised (17 September)
Newsroom: QR code scans are spiking, but might not last (14 September)
RNZ Nine to Noon: Vaccine passports: how will they work? (21′ 36″ – Andrew’s comments begin at 10′ 11″)(14 September)
TVNZ Q+A: Domestic Covid-19 passport needs to ‘fit NZ context’ – expert (12 September)
NZ Herald: The ‘other virus’: Businesses urge change to Covid-19 strategy (11 September)
TVNZ One News: Privacy concerns remain over mandatory Covid record-keeping (10 September)
RNZ Morning Report: Covid-19: Vaccine passports getting closer, but questions remain (3′ 44″)(10 September)
RNZ Morning Report: Covid-19 app data protection: Government resists calls for new law (8 September)
Stuff: Contact tracing data remains vulnerable to misuse, experts say, as mandatory record keeping kicks in (8 September)
RNZ Morning Report: Covid-19: Government dismisses tracer app privacy concerns (4′ 32″)(8 September)
The Spinoff – The Bulletin: NZ to have vaccine passport by Christmas (8 September)
Newsroom: Hipkins backtracks on protecting contact tracing data (3 September)
RNZ Nine to Noon: Mandatory record-keeping: Should we be concerned about privacy? (20′ 01″)(3 September)
Newshub: COVID-19: How National’s proposal to fix ‘broken’ MIQ system compares to Government’s solution (2 September)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Academics’ fears over contact tracing privacy (2 September)
BusinessDesk: So much for Bluetooth contact tracing efforts ($ – 2 September)
Stuff: No straight answer from Health Ministry on non-use of Bluetooth tracing (2 September)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Ask us anything on Covid – September 2 (2 September)
1of200 (Podcast): Episode 114 – Data, data, lets call the whole thing off (2 September)
Newsroom The Detail: The tricky track-downs of the contact tracer (2 September)
1News: Officials resume Bluetooth tracing after two-week pause (1 September)
Stuff: Covid-19: Why it took the Government a year to make QR code scanning compulsory (31 August)
Stuff: Covid-19: Air New Zealand criticised for not contacting passengers on location of interest flights (24 August)
Newsroom: Govt urged to ban police from using contact tracing data (24 August)
Science Media Centre (expert commentary): Mandatory scanning and record keeping – Expert Reaction (23 August)
The Guardian: ‘Big questions’: New Zealand Covid minister raises doubts about elimination strategy (23 August)
Newshub: As it happened: Latest on COVID-19 community outbreak – Sunday, August 22 (Live update @7:45 pm)(22 August)
Stuff: Is it time to put Covid-19 tracer app scanning codes in homes? (20 August)
TVNZ Seven Sharp: Covid-tracing teams kick into gear in hope of ring-fencing virus (19 August)
Science Media Centre (expert commentary): The second nationwide Covid-19 lockdown – Expert Reaction (18 August)
RNZ The Panel: The Panel with Mike Williams and Ruth Money (Part 1) (Starts 9′ 54″)(18 August)
RNZ Lately: Vast majority of New Zealanders not scanning (8′ 26″)(17 August)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Ministry of Health cleared Rio de la Plata to enter Port of Tauranga, says Maritime NZ ($ – 10 August)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Can ‘nudging’ make more Kiwis scan? (12 July)
RNZ Morning Report: Covid-19: Pros and Cons of mandatory tracing (4′ 16″)(29 June)
Stuff: Covid-19: Scanning, masks to become embedded in daily life as Government looks to mandate use – experts (29 June)
RNZ Lately: Alert Level 2 and the Covid tracer app (6′ 26″)(24 June)
1News: Covid-19 scare in Wellington highlights need to use Covid Tracer app (23 June)
Stuff: Covid-19 NZ: Not all Wellington close contacts receiving tracer app alerts (23 June)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Three reasons the Delta variant is a bigger threat (23 June)
Science Media Centre: Covid-19 case comes to Wellington – Expert Reaction (23 June)
RNZ Midday report: Number using the Covid Tracer app has dropped again (1′ 58″)(23 June)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Experts call for level ‘1.5’ in Wellington (23 June)
Stuff: Covid-19: Better contact tracing could prevent need for lockdowns — minister told (22 May)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: QR scans still too low despite bubble, app game (17 May)
BusinessDesk: Lack of perceived risk sees covid tracer app scans tumble ($ – 14 May)
Stuff: Covid-19: As few as one in 12 of the 2.8 million Tracer App users scanning daily (7 May)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Early-warning app maker Elarm finally gets its border worker deal – what it cost ($ – 15 April)
1News: Kiwis travelling to Australia warned they’ll need to comply with Covid-19 contact tracing protocols (14 April)
Newshub: COVID-19 trans-Tasman bubble: What you need to know about contact tracing in Australia (9 April)
Science Media Centre: Gamifying the Covid Tracer app – Expert reaction (8 April)
RNZ The Panel: The Panel with Anna Dean and Tim Watkin (Part 1) (23′ 54″)(8 April)
China Daily Global: Travel ‘bubble’ set for Australia, New Zealand (8 April)
NZ Herald: NZ Covid Tracer app gets ‘gamification’, support for older phones (8 April)
NZ Herald: Covid-19 coronavirus: Three key questions about the Aussie bubble and risk (7 April)
RNZ Morning Report: Trans-Tasman bubble: How Australia’s tracing apps work (6′ 47″) | Trans-Tasman bubble: What you need to know about Covid-19 contact tracing in Australia (7 April)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Bubble safe – but prepare for disruptions, experts warn (6 April)
NZ Herald: Covid-19 coronavirus: Will ‘vaccine passports’ reopen the world? ($ – 28 March)
RNZ: Mandatory Covid-19 app scanning put on back burner (12 March)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Are Kiwis still scanning enough? (11 March)
Stuff: Are vaccine passports really the key to fast-tracking international travel? (9 March)
Stuff: Covid-19: How can we make sure people are self-isolating? (7 March)
RNZ: Multiple challenges in mandating Covid-19 tracer app – tech expert (5 March)
NZ Herald: Covid-19 coronavirus early-warning app: Govt close to deal with NZ’s Elarm ($ – 3 March)
RNZ: Covid-19: Chris Hipkins confirms CovidCard not practical (3 March)
RNZ: Covid Card likely dead in the water – expert (2′ 54″)(2 March)
Newsroom: Beyond lockdown, scanning doesn’t stick (2 March)
Bay of Plenty Times: Covid 19 coronavirus: Govt considering making tracer app use mandatory (17 February)
RNZ The Panel: Should Covid app scanning be mandatory? (11′ 17″)(17 February)
NZ Herald: Covid 19: Supermarkets support mandatory tracer app use proposal (17 February)
Bay of Plenty Times: Covid-19 coronavirus: Snap survey reveals lacklustre tracer app use, expert slams efforts (16 February)
BusinessDesk: Covid app scans fell in the days before lockdown (15 February)
TVNZ: Q + A with Jack Tame – ‘Jabs versus the Jab-Nots’ – fears un-vaccinated Kiwis could be bullied (14 February)
NZ Herald: The $6.4m NZ Covid Tracer app: Experts’ verdict on its cost, how it compares to overseas ($ – 12 February)
iStart: Vaxtech: Money, privacy and discrimination (11 February 2021)
Newstalk ZB: Andrew Chen: Minister considers law change over Covid tracing app data privacy (audio) (8 February)
NZ Herald: Minister considers law change over tracing data privacy (7 February)
Newsroom: Covid-19: ‘May I see your vaccine passport?’ (29 January)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: QR scans double amid latest scare – but numbers still too low (28 January)
NZ Herald: Juha Saarinen: Oh please, not CovidCard again ($ – 28 January)
RNZ Checkpoint: Big campaign underway to stop Covid-19 vaccine misinformation (Andrew’s comments begin at 1′ 31″)(27 January)
Newstalk ZB: Government warned over Covid contact tracing app issues (26 January)
RNZ Nights: The Covid Tracer App (26′ 43″)(25 January)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus:Is this how we get more Kiwis to scan? (25 January)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Bluetooth usage pulls well ahead of poster scanning – and that’s a problem (25 January)
RNZ: 29 locations woman with Covid-19 visited revealed (24 January)
ODT: Experts: Time to ‘turn down tap’ on travel from risky countries (24 January)
Newshub (8:20 pm update): Coronavirus live updates: Case of COVID-19 found in community in Northland (24 January)
NZ Herald: Northland community case a 56yo woman; ‘too early’ for call on response (24 January)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus tracking: We’re poster slackers but taking to Bluetooth (paywall) (18 January)
Stuff: Covid vaccination information could be added to app, Ministry of Health says (17 January)
BusinessDesk: Laziness is not covid app refuseniks’ only reason ($ – 14 January)
Newstalk ZB: ACT calls on Government to make Covid tracer app compulsory (13 January)
NZ Herald: Tracer app use not high enough if there were to be an outbreak (paywall) (13 January)
ODT: Vaccination watch useful for NZ (12 January)
1News: Experts ask Government to protect Covid Tracer app data (6 January)
The Spinoff: How Covid-19 turbocharged technology (15 December)
NZ Herald: UK taps New Zealand’s Rush Digital for help with coronavirus contact tracing (14 December)
RNZ’s Lately: Bluetooth tracing makes it to NZ app (10′ 05″)(10 December)
RNZ’s Midday Report: Bluetooth covid app function to speedup contact tracing (2′ 31″)(9 December)
RNZ: Support for moves to make Covid Tracer app scanning mandatory (14 November)
RNZ’s Lately: Covid tracing app hits 100 million (7′ 27″)(27 October)
Stuff: Covid-19 tracer app scans decline, showing we’re nation that responds rather than prepares (23 October)
RNZ’s Lately: Urgent calls for Covid-19 testing and contact tracing (9′ 58″)(22 October)
The Guardian: Ardern urged to review New Zealand Covid measures after election landslide (22 October)
RNZ’s Morning Report: CovidCard trial finally begins (5′ 19″)(9 October) | Doubts over CovidCard technology, cost, new documents show
Newstalk ZB: Privacy, security concerns delay CovidCard trials (3′ 10″)(8 October)
Newsroom: Report shows CovidCard struggled in cafes, parties (8 October)
Science Media Centre: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 – Expert Reaction (5 October)
NZ Herald: Why are QR scan counts plummeting? (30 September)
RNZ’s The Panel: Covid tracer app use falling, new technology being considered (28 September)
RNZ’s Lately: Covid tracing in the age of Level 1 (28 September)
NZ Herald: Covid-19 coronavirus: Expert’s concern over app use drop-off (23 September) | Audio of interview on Newstalk ZB
RNZ’s Lately: Covid card trial one step in a mysterious direction (10′ 28″)(10 August)
NZ Herald: Sam Morgan slaps ministry over Covid Card, ministry responds (26 July)
Newsroom: Is CovidCard really a silver bullet? (20 July)
NZ Herald: Is the Covid Tracer app the ‘gold standard’? No, experts say, but use it anyway (16 July)
RNZ’s Lately: Is the NZ COVID Tracer app fit for purpose? (12′ 44″)(15 July)
NZ Herald: When did you last use the contact tracing app? Usage falls off a cliff as experts warn the system isn’t working (7 July)
Stuff: Here’s why dropping contact tracing requirements was a mistake (29 June)
Newsroom: Delays hampered uptake of Government app (26 June)
Stuff: Contact tracing could be abandoned by the masses at level 1 – it’s too hard (9 June)
Stuff: Coronavirus: Are Kiwis really keeping digital diaries? (3 June)
The Correspondent: We were told technology would end Covid-19 lockdowns, but the truth is there’s no app for that (1 June)
Wired UK: Germany and Korea expose flaws in the NHS track and trace plan (30 May)
The Spinoff: Widespread failure to comply with level two hospitality rules, survey finds (27 May)
RNZ’s The Detail: Our contact tracing app – how effective will it be? (22 May)
RNZ’s Nine to Noon: Does the new NZ COVID app pass muster? (17′ 25″) (21 May)
Newsroom: NZ’s Covid-19 app: Everything you need to know (20 May)
RNZ’s The Panel: Government tracing app to be released from tomorrow (20 May)
Newsroom: Private tech solutions to fill Govt contact tracing void (13 May)
RNZ’s Nine to Noon: What could digital contact tracing look like? – interview begins at 13′ 10″ (12 May)
The Spinoff: Wellington picks contact tracing app – so what about the rest of the country? (12 May)
