US President-elect Joe Biden received the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, 11 January, at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. His vaccination was broadcast on live TV to demonstrate the safety of the vaccine to the public.
Pfizer/BioNTech’s second booster shot must be administered within three weeks and Biden had received his first shot nearly three weeks ago. On Monday, Biden received his second dose by Ric Cuming, chief nurse executive, reported CNN.
The 78-year-old democrat tweeted soon after receiving the vaccine, “Folks, I just received the second dose of my COVID-19 vaccine — and just like the first dose, it was safe, quick, and painless. I urge everyone to get vaccinated once it’s your turn. Because only together can we save lives and beat this virus.”
The President-elect, in a virtual meeting with his team on Monday afternoon, discussed COVID operations and distribution strategies, including the costs, that he would announce on Thursday, reported CNN.
"My number one priority is the getting vaccine in people's arms, like we just did today, as rapidly as we can," he told reporters, quoted AFP.
Emphasising on the use of masks and social distancing, Biden added, "Three to four thousand people a day dying is just beyond the pale... it's wrong, and we can do a lot to change it,” according to AFP.
100 Million COVID vaccine shots in First 100 days of Office: Biden
So far, over 367,000 Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19. The Trump administration has so far injected 9 million doses out of 25.5 million first doses of the vaccine that has been shipped to hospitals, clinics and nursing homes, reported AFP.
According to the Biden transition team, over $25 billion will be invested in a “vaccine manufacturing and distribution plan that will guarantee it gets to every American, cost-free”. “Getting America vaccinated will be one of the greatest operational challenges we’ve ever faced, but my administration will spare no effort to get it done. We’re going to ensure the vaccine is distributed quickly, equitably, and free of charge to every American,” Biden tweeted.
Biden’s administration has vowed to get “at least 100 million COVID vaccine shots into the arms of the American people” in the first 100 days in office to combat the pandemic raging across the country, reported The New York Times.
(With inputs from CNN, New York Times and AFP.)
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