President-elect Joe Biden and Jill Biden will receive their first doses of the coronavirus vaccine in public on Monday in order “to send a clear message to the public, that it’s safe and consistent with security and medical protocols,” incoming White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday.
Why it matters: Biden is 78 years old, meaning he is at-risk for severe coronavirus infection. Dozens of White House staff and members of President Trump’s inner circle have tested positive for COVID-19 over the past few months of the pandemic.
The state of play: Vice President Mike Pence on Friday became the highest-ranking U.S. government official to receive the vaccine, doing so on live television in order to bolster public confidence. It’s unclear when Trump plans to be vaccinated, or whether he will do so in public.
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also received the vaccine on Friday.
- Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, will receive the vaccine the week after Biden does, Psaki told reporters.