NBC News
By David K. Li – September 22, 2021
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday tapped a UCLA health policy researcher and physician who opposes vaccination mandates and lockdowns to be the state’s new surgeon general.
The researcher, Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, will replace Dr. Scott Rivkees, whose contract expires at the end of the month.
Ladapo framed the battle against Covid-19 in similar terms as DeSantis, emphasizing personal action over broader mandates. He even appeared to downplay the effectiveness of vaccines in protecting large populations from the deadly coronavirus.