Vice President Mike Pence has received the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday morning. It took place during a televised live event that aims to instill trust and confidence in the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine.
Apart from Vice President Pence, his wife Karen Pence and Surgeon General Jerome Adams also received the shots. This took place at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House. A medical team from the Walter Reed National Military Center administered the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines during the live event.
The Walter Reed medical staff who will give the coronavirus vaccine injections to VP Pence, the second lady and Surgeon General Jerome Adams are, left to right, Sean Wadine, Macie Jones and Danielle Williams. pic.twitter.com/i7U2dIYCfx
“I didn’t feel a thing. Well done,” the vice president said after he was given the shot.
Pence described the vaccine as a “medical miracle” since it was developed in a shorter amount of time. He also praised the National Institutions of Health and the FDA for their work in evaluating the vaccines.
Hopes of Instilling Trust
The Vice President also went on to say why they decided to publicly get the vaccine. He said they are hoping that more Americans will trust the vaccine and get it if possible.
“Karen and I wanted to step forward and take this vaccine to assure the American people that while we cut red tape, we cut no corners,” he said.
“History will record that this week was the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic,” Pence also mentioned during the event. However, due to the number of cases rising across the country, he noted that “we have a ways to go.”
Pence was the first senior member of the Trump administration who has publicly received the COVID-19 vaccine. Many saw the move in a positive light.
This is good and important. I have pretty much nothing positive to say about Mike Pence, but this act is unequivocally positive. A lot of Americans will needlessly die if the vaccine isn't championed by Republicans and Democrats alike. https://t.co/cYtetn5FcX
Surgeon General Adams also made a plea specifically addressed towards the African-American community. He recognized the historical medical mistreatments done to people of African-American descent in the country. With this, he said he understands that many of them are hesitating to get the vaccine. Nevertheless, Adams urges them to trust it.
“To truly promote confidence in these vaccines, we must start by acknowledging this history of mistreatment and exploitation of minorities by the medical community and the government,” the Surgeon General said.
Also in the event was National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci. There, he assured people that the vaccine’s swift development did not compromise its safety and integrity. He also said he hopes enough people in the country will get protected from the virus so that “we can start thinking seriously about the return to normality.”
As of December 17, 2017, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country sits at 17.2 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University Tracking Center. Meanwhile, the death toll due to the virus has reached more than 310,000.
