As the COVID-19 vaccine slowly gets deployed in Canada, and I look toward this new phase, I’m mindful of the myriad privacy issues that are starting to pop up.

How are we going to prove to one another that we’ve been vaccinated? Can you ever think of a time in history when the world’s population is going to start sharing sensitive medical information about themselves quite like this?

And on a smaller scale, what are organizations going to do when we’re permitted to return to our workplaces? (Well, actually, I mean the rest of you — I’ve been doing WFH for years.) Asking for proof of vaccination as a way to ensure a safe and healthy workplace seems like an inevitability, but the privacy implications are serious and multifaceted. I’ll be interested to see to what extent and with whom we’ll be sharing, and the impact of all this — how it may change how we are with one another.

This pandemic has definitely had — and will continue to have — a big impact on our lives, but I was heartened yesterday to see my LinkedIn feed filled with people celebrating Data Privacy Day. There are definitely many privacy challenges lying ahead (but when isn’t that the case?). I’m pretty sure that with a global profession of more than 65,000 IAPP members strong, I think there are plenty of good and smart people willing to do the heavy lifting and good work.

You know, Jan. 28 was not only DPD but also Bell Let’s Talk Day, a day to raise awareness of another extremely important health-related topic: mental well-being. We know late January can be a difficult time for many people, and the stresses related to the pandemic certainly don’t help matters. Over the years, the folks at Bell have done a great job raising awareness — and money — and they should be commended for it. I participated by watching the video on Instagram (the one that generates donations the more you watch it) as many times as humanly possible in between Zoom calls (well, OK, maybe not as many times as I’ve played my son’s music on a loop on Spotify). Seriously, though, the privacy community is a pretty kind and friendly crowd, as far as I’ve seen. When we’re together in person, like at our conferences, we have a blast together. During what can be a bit of a dreary time, I challenge you to reach out to an IAPP contact you’ve made, say hi and see how they’re doing.

Virtual hugs, everyone, and a great weekend.