The CDC just recommended a new round of boosters for everyone the other day. And as expected, conservative media is melting down about it again. But even beyond that, they’ve been getting back into “COVID temper tantrum” mode for about a week or so now that we're moving into the fall.
It was never amusing. Earlier it was "only" kids dying of the measles because their dumbass parents were antivaxxers. With COVID-19, it started affecting adults so that's why they get more attention. The public seems to be better able to tolerate children dying of preventable shit than adults.
Do want another level of insanity? Here in Germany, we got the news today that WEATHER TV persons get harrased by people that think there is no climate change and its just propaganda.
"but, but, they have to be! Otherwise the man won't let them get the truth out to us. They're sacrificing themselves and conforming so we can get THE TRUTH"
No, HIPAA only applies to people who work in the health sector or are associated with it. Anyone else, including journalists and media people don't have to follow these rules. They can talk about the healt status of others as they please. The only concern would be defamation but that's also only an issue if the statement is false.
While HIPAA doesn't apply in this case, it's irrelevant. It could still be considered Publication of a Private Fact which is punishable under US law.
It's unlikely this would be successful but there is enough grounds for a lawsuit to not be thrown out immediately.
There's also defamation per se which can apply to salacious details like HIV status and some other things I can't remember (that class was a long time ago and I spent all my time in title 26) where even if the info is true, it's still defamatory. I've only skimmed this article but I like generally Cornell Law Library.
So then why do we have to watch those horrendous videos on the disclosure of PHI, even in non-related fields? I do it yearly and have been Clockwork-Orange-educated into knowing what it looks like, how it should be transmitted, etc.
It really makes me think the company would be liable in some way.
Because it exposes that someone who is making a living capitalizing off of extremist views that spread mass harm to the populace is a hypocrite that made sure to protect herself while telling everyone else that protection is a hoax, or at the least untrustworthy and harmful. Calling these people on their bullshit is a good thing to do. It's not the same thing as "OMG did you hear Taylor Swift broke up with her 35th boyfriend?!", it actually has real world consequences.