Trump is conspicuously absent from the list of public figures getting a coronavirus vaccine soon
REUTERS/Cheriss May/File Photo
- Donald Trump is yet to set a date for his coronavirus vaccination, as other politicians are booking their slots.
- Vice president Mike Pence, his wife Karen, and US surgeon general Jerome Adams will be vaccinated on TV on Friday and President-elect Joe Biden will reportedly be vaccinated early next week.
- Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have all committed to getting the vaccine live on TV to boost public confidence in the shot.
- Though Trump has said he is keen to get a vaccine, he has not set any date to do it or said whether he will do it on TV.
- On Sunday, Trump abruptly cancelled a mass-vaccination plan for White House officials.
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President Donald Trump is noticeably absent from the growing list of politicians, former presidents, and public figures setting a date to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
On Friday, a vaccine created by Pfizer and BioNTech became the first vaccine to be approved in the US by the Food & Drug Administration.
Since then, a large number of US political personalities have committed to getting the vaccine. Although Trump has indicated he plans to take a vaccine, he has prevaricated, and has yet to put a date on it.
In contrast, a number of influential figures have booked their slots, as the US government simultaneously launches a $250 million plan to normalize the vaccine, amid fears that the anti-vaxx movement may discourage people from getting inoculated.
Those who have committed include:
- Biden, who will take the vaccine sometime between December 21 and December 23, CNN reported. Biden said Wednesday that "when I do it, I'll do it publicly."
- Vice president Mike Pence and his wife will be injected live on TV on Friday to boost "vaccine confidence," according to Axios.
- Barack Obama said on December 2 he will get the vaccine live on TV.
- Bill Clinton will get the shot live on TV, his press secretary Angel Urena told CNN on December 2.
- George W. Bush is happy for public inoculation, Freddy Ford, Bush's chief of staff, told CNN on December 3.
Trump tweeted on December 14 that he would get the shot, but did not set a date.
"I am not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time," he wrote.
—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020
However, on Wednesday, CNN reported the reason Trump has not yet taken the vaccine was because he wants to wait until it's recommended by the White House medical team.
Trump is still experiencing the effects of the "antibody cocktail" he was given after testing positive for COVID-19 on October 2, the official told CNN.
Trump himself is yet to say whether he is willing to get vaccinated on TV, though a White House official told the Daily Mail on December 7 that he is willing, but that it may not be needed because he already caught the virus.
Despite his apparent commitment to rolling out the vaccine as swiftly as possible, Trump on Sunday abruptly cancelled a plan that would have seen White House officials start to get shots of the Pfizer vaccine from Monday. "People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the program, unless specifically necessary," Trump tweeted.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the US, said Tuesday that Biden and Vice president-elect Kamala Harris should get vaccinated immediately "for security reasons."
A poll of Americans conducted by Gallup released on December 8 found that 63% would take an FDA-approved vaccine.
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