Here are some of the top stories from the last week from NBC 6 News:
Gov. Ron DeSantis: State Won't Be ‘Doing Any Vaccine Passports'
During a public health roundtable Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state will not be "doing any vaccine passports," calling the existence of such documents "unacceptable."
A vaccine passport is documentation that shows a traveler has been vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus that causes it. Advocates are hoping the existence of such passports will help passengers feel safer when booking flights.
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The information is typically stored on a phone or other mobile device that the user shows to airline employees and border officers. Travel industry groups and labor unions are urging the Biden administration to consider the digital passes, along with paper alternatives.
What Is Herd Immunity? Why Vaccines Are ‘Crucial' in Achieving Biological Phenomenon
Local
Several health experts and scientists have used the term “herd immunity” to describe the overall immunity of a population against a virus like COVID-19.
But what exactly is herd immunity, and how is it achieved?
Many have questioned whether the phenomenon could be the key to ending the coronavirus pandemic, with some speculating if the United States could reach the sought-after stage by as early as April.
Florida Baby Born With COVID Antibodies After Mother Vaccinated: Doctors
Two South Florida doctors have published a study about what's believed to be the first reported case of a baby being born with COVID-19 antibodies after the mother was vaccinated.
The Boca Raton pediatricians, Dr. Paul Gilbert and Dr. Chad Rudnick, said the pregnant woman, a healthcare worker, had received a single dose of the Moderna vaccine in January.
Three weeks later, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The doctors said they tested the baby's cord blood, which had the COVID-19 antibodies.
Man Arrested After Attacking McDonald's Employees in Davie
A man was arrested after police say he attacked employees of a Davie McDonald's because he was apparently upset that they were taking too long with his order.
Surveillance footage released Thursday shows Daniel Suarez Tellez pull up to the drive-thru at the fast food restaurant off of State Road 84 Monday night.
Staff told police that they asked him to park to wait for the rest of his large order — and that’s when Tellez got upset.
New Florida Invasive Species: a 10-Foot-Long River Monster
The Burmese python, green iguana and lionfish are, by now, well-known invasive species that have established a dangerous foothold in Florida.
But a fearsome new invasive predator has emerged in the state: the arapaima, a monster fish that can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds. A dead one recently washed ashore in Cape Coral’s Jaycee Park along the Caloosahatchee River, which runs from Lake Okeechobee west to the Gulf of Mexico.
The arapaima is native to the Amazon River in South America and is one of the world’s largest predatory fish. Its scales are said to be as impenetrable as armor.
