Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott inspires HIPAA memes on social media after COVID vaccine reply

Social media users quickly corrected Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott after he declined to say if he has received a COVID-19 vaccine, citing a medical privacy law. 

Asked at a press conference on Friday if he has received a vaccine, Prescott responded, “I don’t necessarily think that’s exactly important,” and then added, “I think that’s HIPAA.”  

HIPAA, an acronym commonly used for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a federal regulation that makes it illegal for certain offices and organizations, like health care providers and insurers, to share a patient’s medical records without explicit permission, among other rules.  

The law is not applicable to journalists or many others asking about an individual’s medical information.   

Reporters and other social media users jabbed Prescott on Twitter over his claim about his privacy rights.  

Prescott isn’t the only public figure to claim HIPAA rights this week after being asked about vaccines.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, was asked by a reporter on Tuesday whether she has been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

"Your first question is a violation of my HIPAA rights. You see with HIPAA rights, we don't have to reveal our medical records and that also involves our vaccine records,” she claimed.  

Twitter this week suspended Greene from the platform for 12 hours after she shared tweets that violated its policy on posting misleading information on COVID-19.