Records Management Advice
Basics of Records Management
Purpose: Provide guidance to agencies on how long to keep COVID-19 logs and screenings administered by the agency to employees and visitors for the purpose of contact tracing.
What is Contact Tracing? According to the Maine CDC website, "Contact tracing is a process used to contact people who may have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19 to provide guidance and support. Contact tracing is a key tool to help prevent further spread of COVID-19. In Maine, contact tracing is done with the Sara Alert™ system by staff at Maine CDC and in collaboration with other facilities."
In response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many agencies have begun screening employees and visitors for signs of infection as well as creating logs to assist with any necessary contact tracing. The most common screening methods agencies have implemented are temperature tests and surveys asking about symptoms and potential exposures.
Who is Responsible for Retaining Records? According to the Maine Economic and Community Development website public and community settings include, but are not limited to, municipal and county offices and libraries. For contact tracing purposes, establishments should maintain a record including contact information for visitors and staff who have direct prolonged interaction.
How Long Do Records Need to be Retained? Records documenting COVID-19-related checks/logs of staff and visitors to agency facilities, such as wellness/temperature checks; contact information captured for tracing purposes; or other records relating to contact tracing should be retained until no longer needed (should be no more than 30 days).
This is to ensure records will be available should contact tracers need to look back into who was potentially exposed to a confirmed case. Records should be destroyed as soon as practical from the date of the service provided to the individual. Records made for health or other purposes should not be destroyed under this guidance document, as they have their own required retention.
Additional advice regarding the management of public records is available online.
"The right record, to the right person, at the right time, at the lowest possible cost"