Will you have to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot every year?
ORLANDO, Fla. โ New cases of the UK variant of the COVID-19 virus are being reported across the county. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 611 total cases of the COVID-19 variant in the United States, with Florida leading the way with 187 cases. At least 16 cases of the UK variant have been reported in Central Florida. Companies are working ahead and producing the boosters in the event they are needed, according to Dr. Fox. Lauren Cervantes: Can the virus mutate to the point where the COVID-19 vaccines are no longer effective?
Cruise line becomes first to require passengers to get vaccine
Saga cruise line to require passengers to get vaccineUK-based Saga cruise lines is now the first cruise line in the world to require passengers to get a coronavirus vaccine in order to board. It announced passengers must be fully vaccinated, meaning theyโve received both does of the vaccine, 14 days before their departure. [TRENDING: What to know about Bidenโs COVID-19 strategy | 2021 Bike Week will happen| Florida no longer releasing overdue vaccine numbers]The company is also pushing back resuming cruises from Apr. A Saga spokesman says their customers want the reassurance of the vaccine and to know others traveling with them will be vaccinated as well. The vaccine requirement comes as cruise lines struggle to resume operations, nearly a year after ceasing bookings in response to the pandemic.
2 relatives in wrong-way crash taking next steps toward recovery
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Two family members who found themselves in the middle of a fatal wrong way crash have begun the next steps toward recovery. According to their GoFundMe pages, Drake Milis was released from the hospital Friday and will continue to recover. The Milis siblings were following their parents' vehicle after viewing the holiday display at Daytona International Speedway, Chitwood told a news conference on Wednesday. The deputy jumps off the chase when the driver hits his brakes and heads the wrong way up the interstate. Chitwood said the Wisconsin family just missed their exit just before the crash occurred.
Africa CDC: New virus variant appears to emerge in Nigeria
โItโs a separate lineage from the U.K. and South Africa,โ the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, told reporters. He said the Nigeria CDC and the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases would analyze more samples. The new virus variant in South Africa is now the predominant one there, Nkengasong said, as confirmed infections in the country approach 1 million. โWe believe this mutation will not have an effectโ on the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines to the continent, he said of the South Africa variant. Infections across the continent have risen 10.9% over the past four weeks, the Africa CDC director said, including a 52% increase in Nigeria and 40% increase in South Africa.
London faces new restrictions as city sees higher virus risk
The move means millions will be barred from meeting with anyone from outside their households and will be asked to minimize travel. The opposition Labour Party's spokesman on health issues, Jonathan Ashworth, described the measures as inadequate to stem the exponential growth of the virus. After Johnson on Wednesday refused to rule out such a move, Ashworth asked Thursday what the government's criteria were for taking such action. Hancock said discussions were continuing with Greater Manchester and Lancashire about moving those communities into the government's highest risk tier. There are growing indications that travel between the four nations will start to be restricted too, particularly to and from areas deemed to be high risk.
The Latest: Sports stars to be exempt from UK quarantine
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The UK government says selected sports stars are to be exempt from quarantine requirements when competing in England. However, those involved will instead live and work in bubbled environments behind closed doors, UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced on Sunday. The new measures will allow Formula One, international soccer, golf and snooker events to take place. Competitors involved in these events will be granted quarantine exemptions. International cricketers are also now formally exempt, although individual special arrangements have already been made for the touring West Indies and Pakistan teams this summer.
Songs that don't mean what you think they do
At this very moment, there's a couple out there realizing that "their" song, the 2005 hit ballad "You're Beautiful," has nothing to do with a loving, body-positive relationship and everything to do with a stalker who's stoned out of his mind. UK artist James Blunt has set the record straight. "'You're Beautiful' is not this soft romantic [expletive] song," Blunt told The Huffington Post in March. "It's about a guy who's high as a [expletive] kite on drugs in the subway stalking someone else's girlfriend when that guy is there in front of him."
Virgin Holidays stops ticket sales for attractions that include captive whales and dolphins
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Virgin Holidays has stopped selling tickets to SeaWorld after axing partnerships with attractions that keep whales and dolphins in captivity. The UK based travel company annouced that the new policy would โcome into effect as soon as possible.โโVirgin Holidays has decided to stop selling and promoting captive cetacean (whale and dolphin) experiences, as we look to focus on offering customers more natural, at-distance encounters with these animals,โ Joe Thompson, Virgin Holidaysโ managing director, said in a statement. There are three SeaWorld locations, in San Antonio, Orlando and San Diego. This decision means Virgin Holidays is stopping ticket sales to all but San Antonio, as that location was not on its books. Offers for Discovery Cove in Orlando, Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas and Atlantis The Palm in Dubai have also been removed because of the decision.