03-10-2021
The Israeli Parliament passed a new bill allowing the Israeli Health Ministry to share the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of Israeli citizens not vaccinated against COVID-19. Local governments, the director-general of the education ministry, and certain other individuals in the welfare ministry will have access to the information. The purpose of the bill is “to enable these [government] bodies to encourage people to vaccinate by personally addressing them.” The law is valid for three months or until the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over.
As of the end of February, Israel had administered the vaccine to roughly a third of its population. Access to gyms and indoor dining is limited to the vaccinated. The bill restricts the usage of the information solely for encouraging vaccination. Critics call the law a violation of the right to medical privacy, while supporters put health over any privacy concerns. “The information will be deleted after its use within 60 days,” according to the law’s language. Israeli data shows the high vaccination rate in the country has had a massive positive impact on the spread of the virus.
Around the world, many countries are considering implementing “COVID passports,” reflecting proof of vaccination and allowing more travel. In the United States, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission provided guidance for employers considering how to handle vaccination issues in the workplace. The guidance shares how employers can evaluate the implications of their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII.