The law known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, is hugely misunderstood. And the latest people to misunderstand it are anti-maskers who claim that it’s illegal to ask them why they’re not wearing a mask. That’s not how the law works. That’s not how any of this works.

HIPAA states that patients (that’s you) may access your health records, and that “covered entities” such as your hospital or health insurance company cannot share your health records without your consent.

Schools, employers, law enforcement agencies, and random people on the street are not bound by HIPAA. If your cousin knows that you’re pregnant and tells your aunt without your consent, that’s not a HIPAA violation. It’s just rude.

If somebody wonders why you’re not wearing a mask, it’s not a HIPAA violation to ask. HIPAA also says nothing about whether or how you answer. It’s a medical records law, and irrelevant to the conversation.