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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on September 21, 2021 in a blog post: “The CDC and county health officials have obtained 2020 Census records to enhance their vaccination enforcement protocols.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"pants- fire\\"](\\" * Census * Corrections and Updates * Facebook Fact-checks * Coronavirus * Bloggers ![\\"Ciara](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke September 21, 2021 # No, health officials aren’t using Census data to target unvaccinated people #### If Your Time is short * The article originated on a site that has previously published many false and unfounded reports. * The Census Bureau didn’t release the data described in the article, according to the federal agency. It would be illegal. See the sources for this fact-check An undated blog post tells the tale of local health officials using data from the Census and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to target unvaccinated residents. But the Census Bureau says this is false. This story originated on a website that has previously published many false allegations and features a disclaimer that its content is satire. \"Census data, CDC database expose unvaccinated,\" the headline says on another site called \"Best News Here.\" The post that follows says that on Sept. 11, health department officials in Elliott County, Ky., showed up at a man’s home to discuss his vaccination status. They told him that \"2020 Census data showed three people living in the household, and that information, when compared against the CDC’s vaccination database, proved that neither (he) nor his wife and daughter had been vaccinated for COVID-19,\" the post says. Elliott County officials did not immediately respond to PolitiFact’s questions about the post. But Zack Schwartz, a division chief at the Census Bureau, said there are no health officials who have the information described in the post. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Jeffrey Barke stated on August 23, 2024 in an Instagram post Food and Drug Administration approval for updated COVID-19 vaccines requires a public health emergency declaration. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Jeff Cercone • August 27, 2024 More importantly, he said, the Census Bureau \"will never release household level data.\" It’s illegal. \"By law, your information is confidential,\" the agency’s website says. \"We do not identify individuals in the data we publish. We only publish statistics.\" CDC spokesperson Scott Pauley also told us that this claim is wrong. \"While current efforts are underway to encourage those who have yet to get vaccinated against COVID-19, we are not using private information to determine who is or is not vaccinated in these efforts,\" Pauley said. The post first appeared on a website called Real Raw News, which has posted multiple other baseless stories that PolitiFact has debunked. The site also has a disclaimer that says \"this website contains humor, parody and satire.\" We rate this post Pants on Fire! **UPDATES** , Sept. 22-23: We updated this fact-check with additional comments from spokespersons at the CDC and Census Bureau. It reinforces the rating. #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Blog post, Sept. 21, 2021 U.S. Census Bureau, Data stewardship, last updated Sept. 17, 2020 Real Raw News, Census data, CDC data expose unvaccinated, Sept. 17, 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Keeping your vaccine records up to date, update May 2, 2016 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Ciara O\'Rourke slide 4 to 6 of 15 ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on September 2, 2024 in a Threads post: Photo shows Vice President Kamala Harris “in the 90s.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 4, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 27, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Kurt Russell forms a new non-woke actors alliance with Roseanne Barr and Tim Allen.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 30, 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The CDC and county health officials have obtained 2020 Census records to enhance their vaccination enforcement protocols