City Of Alexandria: City Of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; HIPAA Privacy Rule Related To Vaccination Status 

Press release from the City of Alexandria:

Oct 12, 2021 at 6:05 PM

Help end the pandemic by wearing a
mask over both your nose and mouth, washing your hands frequently, and
getting vaccinated. Approximately 1 in 20 Alexandrians who have tested positive for COVID-19 have required hospitalization, so without these critical steps, additional lives may be at risk.

HIPAA Privacy Rule Related to Vaccination Status

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights recently published guidance to clarify the HIPAA Privacy Rule in relation to COVID-19 vaccination status. HHS reminds the public that the HIPAA Privacy Rule does not generally apply to employers, schools, entertainment venues, or other private businesses asking an individual for their vaccination status, and are therefore not prohibited from asking for vaccination information. These entities are not considered covered entities under HIPAA regulations, and the rules are not applicable in most of these situations. Read the
full guidance, including examples of scenarios when the Privacy Rule would apply and other common questions about HIPAA and COVID-19.

Alexandria COVID-19 Data At-a-Glance

At least one dose: Total number of people who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including those who received one dose of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. This metric includes all people who have received only one dose and those who received at least one dose.

Fully Vaccinated: Total number or percent of people who have completed the recommended series of a given vaccine product (i.e., two doses of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or one dose of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine).

Partially Vaccinated: Total number of people who have received the first dose of a two-dose vaccine course but have not yet received the second dose.

Continue following measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 even after vaccination.
Get tested if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. If you test positive, help loved ones and neighbors by informing your close contacts using “
What to Do If You Get Sick” guidance, which is available in
Spanish,
Amharic,
Arabic, and
Farsi or this brief
video.

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This press release was produced by the City of Alexandria. The views expressed here are the author’s own.