Obama, Bush, Clinton say they’ll publicly take COVID-19 vaccine to encourage others
Three former U.S. presidents say they’ll get a COVID-19 vaccine in a public setting to encourage other Americans to take one when they become available.
Former President Barack Obama said during an interview with SiriusXM’s “Urban View,” privately posted to YouTube on Wednesday, that he would get vaccinated on camera when he’s able to get the shot.
“I promise you that when it’s been made for people who are less at risk, I will be taking it, and I may end up taking it on TV or having it filmed just so that people know that I trust this science — and what I don’t trust is getting COVID,” he said during the interview.
Obama’s predecessor, former President George W. Bush said he is also willing to take the vaccine on camera.
Bush’s chief of staff told CNN that Bush has asked public health officials how he can help promote the vaccine.
“First, the vaccines need to be deemed safe and administered to the priority populations,” Freddy Ford told CNN. “Then, President Bush will get in line for his and will gladly do so on camera.”
Former President Bill Clinton’s press secretary Angel Urena also told CNN the 42nd president is willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in a public setting.
“President Clinton will definitely take a vaccine as soon as available to him, based on the priorities determined by public health officials,” Urena told CNN on Wednesday. “And he will do it in a public setting if it will help urge all Americans to do the same.”
Multiple pharmaceutical companies are working to get a vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and administered to some Americans by the end of the year.
Drugmaker Moderna announced Monday that it asked the FDA for emergency use approval after data showed its coronavirus vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94.1%. A vaccine’s efficacy is measured under “ideal conditions” in controlled clinical trials.
Pfizer is also seeking emergency use approval from the FDA. The drugmaker says its vaccine has an efficacy rate of 95% and that it could produce up to 50 million doses this year. Both its and Moderna’s vaccine requires two doses per person.
The vaccines’ quick development has some Americans concerned about their risk and effectiveness. But Moderna and Pfizer both say no serious safety concerns were found during their vaccine trials.
Polling shows at least a third of Americans are hesitant to get the vaccine, with Black Americans being more hesitant than others., NPR reports.
Obama said in the interview with “Urban View” he understands why, historically, the Black community “would have some skepticism,”
“But the fact of the matter is that vaccines are why we don’t have polio anymore, the reason why we don’t have a whole bunch of kids dying from measles and smallpox and diseases that used to decimate entire populations and communities,” he said. “So I think it is important for people to follow the guidelines that are going to be issued.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday advised that health care workers and residents at long-term care facilities be the first to get a vaccine when one is approved.
The CDC estimates 40 million doses of the vaccine will be available by the end of the year, and after the initial doses, it expects to be able to administer between 5 and 10 million doses each week.
This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 9:51 AM.
