Marjorie Taylor Greene won't say if she's been vaccinated
The congresswoman incorrectly claimed the question violated her HIPPA rights
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has been outspoken in her criticism of both the coronavirus vaccine and the various efforts the US government and local authorities have taken to curb the spread of the virus, but she refuses to comment on whether or not she has taken the shot herself.
When questioned earlier this week on whether she had been vaccinated, Ms Greene dodged the question, incorrectly saying that the reporter making the inquiry was violating her HIPPA rights.
HIPPA is a 1996 law that ensures patient rights are protected and cannot be revealed by healthcare professionals. It prevents hospitals from selling specific patient data to any number of potentially interested parties, like advertisers or staffing companies. It is meant to protect patient privacy and prevent discrimination against individuals who have health conditions.
However, HIPAA only applies to health professionals handling patient data. It does not prohibit anyone from asking another person about their health history. Ms Greene can choose not to answer the question, but it is in no way a HIPPA violation to ask her if she has been vaccinated.
During the same exchange, Ms Greene laughed when asked if she felt any responsibility for keeping Georgians safe from the coronavirus.
Her response comes just after a five-year-old boy who lived in her district died from a stroke resulting from Covid-19.
Ms Greene was recently suspended from Twitter for promoting misinformation regarding the virus on her account.
The congresswoman claimed that Covid-19 was not dangerous for people who are under the age of 65 and are not obese. That statement is incorrect, as numerous healthcare workers have reported young, healthy individuals suffering and dying from the virus.
She was locked out of her account for 12 hours after making the post. Many of Ms Greene's tweets have been flagged with warnings saying that the information contained was "false or misleading."
She previously faced criticism after comparing coronavirus mask mandates to the Holocaust, which resulted in her giving a public apology following a private visit to Washington DC's Holocaust museum.
Ms Greene has been banned from Twitter in the past for repeating debunked conspiracy theories regarding the Senate elections in Georgia.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments