Live Broadcast of US Vice President Pence Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine... Promoting Vaccine Safety

by Paek Jongmin

Published 19 Dec.2020 00:12(KST)

Broadcasting Vaccination Scenes on TV

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States, was shown receiving the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine live on TV.

On the 18th (local time), Vice President Pence, along with his wife Karen, received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine injection from medical staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Vice President Pence is scheduled to receive the second dose 21 days later.

In a speech after the vaccination, Vice President Pence said, "I felt nothing," and explained, "Karen and I got vaccinated to let Americans know that it is safe to receive the vaccine."

He called the Trump administration's production and distribution of millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in less than a year a "medical miracle," and said the vaccine rollout marks "the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic."

The Washington Post (WP) reported that Vice President Pence's vaccination was part of efforts to promote the vaccine's safety.

Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller publicly showed his vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine on the first day of distribution, the 14th, as the first high-ranking U.S. official to do so, but Vice President Pence was the first to be vaccinated live on air. Pence has been leading the White House COVID-19 response task force.

It has not been decided when President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will be vaccinated. The White House initially planned for high-ranking officials to be vaccinated quickly, but after criticism arose, President Trump ordered a delay.

Some have argued that President Trump, who was infected with COVID-19, should also receive the vaccine.