COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out across the state. Many people have wondered if they will soon be required to show proof that they have gotten a vaccine. In the press, this proof is sometimes called a "vaccine passport" or "vaccine pass."

Some states, like New York, have set up voluntary digital passes. In the future, international travelers might need to show proof that they've had a COVID-19 vaccination. So far, neither Texas nor the federal government has set up a "vaccine passport" or "vaccine pass."

Proof of Vaccination

Privacy Concerns & HIPAA

KHOU, a news organization in Houston, produced this video. It answers questions about whether "vaccine passports" violate people's medical privacy rights under HIPAA, a federal law. In their analysis, they determine that "a 'vaccine passport' does not violate HIPAA."

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is conducting ongoing "contact tracing" efforts in Texas. Participation is voluntary and requires Texans to sign up online and provide consent in order to participate.

According to their website, after a person goes to the DSHS website and signs up,

"A contact tracer reaches out to the [person who contracted COVID-19] and [people who were possibly exposed to COVID-19] to assist in arranging the help that they need. The contact tracer may provide help to [these people] by:

• Answering questions about the disease
• Monitoring symptoms
• Sharing effective prevention steps
• Recommending and determining a date range for quarantine
• Providing resources for testing, medical care, mental health support, food, shelter, and so on"

Both federal and state laws allow certain patient information to be shared with other government entities for the purpose of controlling communicable diseases in the population. See the resources below for details.