Days after a booster shot of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine was approved, President Biden has received his third dose on camera.
Biden received a Pfizer vaccine booster at the White House Monday after the FDA and the CDC approved the additional shots for millions of Americans, including those 65 and older, six months after their second dose. "Now, I know it doesn't look like it, but I am over 65," Biden joked.
Biden already received his first COVID-19 vaccine dose on camera in December 2020, before he took office. But Monday was actually the first time a sitting president received a coronavirus vaccine on camera, CNN's Kaitlan Collins noted. Former President Donald Trump didn't receive a COVID-19 vaccine on camera while in office, though he reportedly quietly got vaccinated at the White House in January.
"The bottom line is if you're fully vaccinated, you're highly protected now from severe illness, even if you get COVID-19," Biden said. "You're safe, and we're going to do everything we can to keep it that way with the boosters."
The Biden administration had initially planned to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to all Americans starting in September, though an FDA advisory panel ultimately recommended against approving the boosters for everyone over 16 for now. On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared the booster shots for millions of Americans, including those 65 and older, those 50 and older with underlying health conditions, and those at higher risk because of their jobs or because they live in long-term care facilities.
Biden stressed at the White House, though, that while COVID-19 boosters "are important," the "most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated." While taking questions from reporters, he said first lady Jill Biden will also soon receive a COVID-19 booster shot.