Why is Norwegian Cruise Line suing Florida?
NORWEIGAN Cruise Line Holdings is suing Florida's surgeon general following the state's Covid-19 company laws. Nearly every US state is facing rising Covid infections amid the spread of the Delta variant, new data suggests. Norwegian Cruise Line is suing the surgeon general over the Covid law that prohibits companies from requiring customers and employees to provide documentation of their Covid-19 vaccination status. Norweigan claimed the lawsuit is a "last resort" because Florida had indicated it would prevent the company from "safely and soundly resuming passenger cruise operations,"  It described the state law as an "anomalous, misguided intrusion." "The upshot places NCLH in an impossible dilemma as it prepares to set sail from Florida: NCLH will find itself either on the wrong side of health and safety and the operative federal legal framework, or else on the wrong side of Florida law," the complaint says. 3 An overview of the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship in Marseille Credit: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett  The complaint names Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees in the lawsuit as "the responsible state official." In April 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order banning the use of Covid-19 passports in the state. The order prevented companies from requiring customers to own vaccination passports or provide vaccination status documents. "In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision," DeSantis said. According to analysis from Johns Hopkins University several states, including Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma, have recorded double the number of new infections in July 2021 compared to June 2021. Dr Jennifer Nuzzo, who works with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said the spread is worrisome adding on Twitter that anywhere there are pockets of low vax coverage is at risk. Speaking to NPR, she said: Unfortunately looking at whats happening in individual states, I do worry we will continue to see national numbers increase.  Currently, the US is recording an average of 23,000 Covid cases per day, the highest figure seen since late May. Most have been linked to the Indian Delta variant, which accounts for as many as 97 per cent of infections in some states. One epidemiologist warned on Twitter the "US has just one month to act before US becomes full blown #DeltaVariant dominant. "One month to slow it down. One month to fully vaccinate. Or else. "But we likely have even less time than that if CDC doesn't act soon." His worry was echoed by Dr Anthony Fauci, who branded the Delta variant the country's "greatest threat" in eliminating the deadly virus.