Government Civil Liability for Infectious Diseases (Case Study: COVID-19)

Due to the outbreak of a virus from the Corona family called COVID-19, which has led to millions of infections and thousands of deaths worldwide, the question of the possibility or impossibility of civil liability of the government for infectious diseases has been raised as a global question. This debate stems from the capabilities and powers that are monopolized by the government. It is believed that a reasonable government can largely prevent the spread of infectious diseases by exercising its authority and legal power and if the government is negligent in performing its duties and responsibilities, it should be responsible for compensating the victims (damaged persons).There is a lot of, but at the same time, vague legal provisions to support the government's liability for diseases in domestic and international law and regulations. Relying on them and the legal and sometimes philosophical foundations, it should be discussed that what is the purpose of the government's civil liability for infectious diseases? In this paper, the relationship between causation and the scope of civil liability of the government for infectious diseases is examined.This study is based on the principles, rules, and limitations of the elements of civil liability and then, practical and executive solutions for our country's legal system are presented.