Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence will each receive an inoculation against COVID-19 at the White House on Friday as part of a public campaign to bolster confidence in the coronavirus vaccine, the first of which was granted emergency use authorization for public usage by the Food and Drug Administration late last week.
The vice president and second lady will receive their inoculations in a public-facing event with Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who will also receive the vaccine at that time, the White House said Wednesday. Through hosting the event, the Trump administration hopes to “promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and build confidence among the American people.”
Aside from specific types of hospital workers, key U.S. officials from various branches of government have been among the first in line to receive the vaccine, “pursuant to continuity of government protocols established in executive policy,” a spokesperson for the National Security Council said Sunday. President Donald Trump, who was hospitalized with COVID-19 in October, said that he plans to take the vaccine at an “appropriate time.”
People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the program, unless specifically necessary. I have asked that this adjustment be made. I am not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020
The Pfizer vaccine, which both regulators and company scientists say has a 95% efficacy rate against COVID-19, was approved for emergency usage over the weekend, and has since been distributed across the country. The first inoculations occurred on Monday, and recipients will have to return for a follow-up inoculation three weeks afterward.
A recent Axios-Ipsos poll found that the number of Americans who say they plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it’s available has doubled since mid-September, when the number was only 13%. Furthermore, 11% of Americans told the pollster that they plan to get the vaccine “a few weeks after” it becomes available, and yet another 25% of Americans say they plan to take the vaccine “a few months after” it becomes available.
The Moderna vaccine candidate, which, like Pfizer’s vaccine, uses mRNA technology, is currently under the FDA review pipeline. A panel of independent experts will meet on Thursday to discuss whether or not to recommend the vaccine candidate for emergency use authorization. Although the panel holds no authority, the FDA acted within two days after a similar panel recommended the Pfizer vaccine be allowed on an emergency basis.
Should the Moderna vaccine be approved, the American public could have access to 40 million vaccines before the end of the year, with 25 million coming from Pfizer and 15 million coming from Moderna. This would mean that the United States would have enough vaccine for 20 million Americans before the start of the new year.