‘Scientific nonsense’: experts dismiss Florida official’s Covid vaccine remarks

State's politically appointed surgeon general claims vaccines can contaminate human DNA but experts say comment has no merit

An assertion by Florida's politically appointed surgeon general that Covid-19 vaccines can contaminate human DNA has been dismissed as scientific nonsense" by public health experts, who say he is putting lives at risk by wanting to block distribution.

Dr Joseph Ladapo, who was handpicked by the state's far-right governor and fellow vaccine-skeptic, Ron DeSantis, to be the state's top public health official, called for a halt in the distribution and use of mRNA Covid boosters, in an official bulletin published on Wednesday by the Florida health department.