White House

Vice President Kamala Harris will get a COVID-19 booster shot

Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, will get a COVID-19 booster shot on Saturday.

Her official duties put her at increased risk of coronavirus exposure, an aide said, and she wants to show the public how easy it is to receive one.

Harris, 57, will get a third shot of the Moderna vaccine, Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to the vice president, said in a statement.

The vice president’s office said Harris is getting a booster shot because she travels frequently for her job and interacts with many people while conducting official business.

Harris also wants to show the public that coronavirus booster shots are free, easy, safe and effective, and that is why she will get her third dose of the vaccine on camera, an aide said.

Harris received her first shot of the Moderna vaccine in December, when she was vice president-elect, and a second shot in January several days after taking office.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved a Moderna booster shot late last week for anyone aged 65 and older six months after their second dose. The CDC said individuals aged 18 and older who received a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least six months ago and live in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions and live or work in high-risk settings are also eligible.

Adults who were vaccinated with Pfizer and meet those conditions are also eligible for booster shots.

The CDC is advising that recipients of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine who are 18 and older get a booster shot two months after they were initially inoculated.

This story was originally published October 29, 2021 at 1:30 PM.

Francesca Chambers
McClatchy DC
Francesca is Senior White House Correspondent for McClatchy. She is an Emmy award-winning reporter, known for her coverage of campaigns, elections and the White House.She has covered three presidencies, dating back to former President Barack Obama, and the White House bids of numerous Democrats and Republicans, including Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and former President Donald Trump.Francesca is a member of the White House Correspondents’ Association board and a graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER