Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Torched For Repeating Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘HIPAA’ Line

It seems like every week there’s some new bit of misinformation about COVID-19 or the vaccines for the deadly virus being circulated by anti-vaxx folks. This week, the new trend was noted because it was being repeated by an unexpected person: the Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott. During a press conference on Friday, reporters asked Prescott if he’d been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

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“I don’t necessarily think that’s exactly important,” Prescott answered. “I think that’s HIPAA.”

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Asked if he is vaccinated, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: “I don’t necessarily think that’s exactly important. I think that’s HIPAA.” pic.twitter.com/EKYI1t4A5S

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) July 23, 2021

What is HIPAA? It is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which prevents medical personnel from sharing sensitive information about patients with anyone except that patient and it’s taken pretty seriously. Prescott does not work in the medical field, unless he has a secret second job on his days off from the NFL. He probably just doesn’t want to admit he hasn’t been vaccinated and thinks citing HIPAA is some sort of cover for everything. Why would he think that?

Probably because one of Congress’s most deranged Representatives, Marjorie Taylor Greene, responded to questions about her vaccination status in a similar way:

My suspicion is that Greene has been vaccinated, but doesn’t want to rock her base of QAnon anti-vaxxers by admitting it. Anyway, her ridiculous statement is catching on and I expect to see people screaming maskless at grocery store employees that their HIPAA is being violated any day now.

And to be super clear, just asking someone about their vaccination status has nothing to do with HIPAA. It’s not illegal and while no one can ever force you to answer a question during a press conference, they’re not breaking any laws by asking a question.

Though it’s only going to get worse, people are finding the idea of any old question breaking the law pretty hilarious:

POLICE: so we’d like to ask you about this series of fires we think you set. we have photographs and video of you setting them. we have like 30 eyewitnesses. we have a copy of your book “Why I Set All Those Fires,” and–

ME: unfortunately, that’s HIPAA and i cannot discuss it https://t.co/qdeg01pXDL

— Mark Berman (@markberman) July 23, 2021

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For anyone who needs to hear this: HIPAA relates specifically to what personal health information your *healthcare providers* are permitted to release.
HIPAA has precisely NOTHING to do with a non-healthcare provider asking you about your vaccination status.#HIPAA https://t.co/kJQyoGaHrO

— Fully-vaxxed Patronus (@ExpectoResister) July 23, 2021

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This is what happens when you get all of your legal and medical advice from Facebook memes.

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*First Published: July 24, 2021, 8:23 am