Biden, Pence preparing to get COVID-19 vaccine soon
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 11: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (L) and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (R) greet each other during a 9/11 memorial service at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum on September 11, 2020 in New York City. The ceremony to remember those who were killed in the terror attacks 19 years ago will be altered this year in order to adhere to safety precautions around COVID-19 transmission. (Photo by Amr Alfiky – Pool/Getty Images)
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(NewsNation Now) — President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President Mike Pence will receive the COVID-19 vaccine soon.
According to two transition officials familiar with the matter, Biden will receive the vaccine publicly as early as next week, The Associated Press reports. The officials spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly.
The White House says Pence and his wife, Karen, will receive the vaccine publicly on Friday.
Biden said on Tuesday that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, advised him to get the vaccine “sooner than later.” Biden has said that he wants to keep front-line health care workers and vulnerable people as the top priority as the vaccine is rolled out throughout the country.
But he’s also noted the importance of him getting the vaccine publicly to build confidence among Americans to get vaccinated.
Biden said, “I don’t want to get ahead of the line, but I want to make sure we demonstrate to the American people that it is safe to take.”
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was reversing an administration directive to vaccinate top government officials against COVID-19.
He made the announcement hours after his administration confirmed that senior U.S. officials, including some White House aides who work in close proximity to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, would be offered vaccines as soon as this week under federal continuity of government plans.
President Trump tweeted Sunday night that he’d take the vaccine at the “appropriate time.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
