Fauci says Biden, Harris, Trump, and Pence should get vaccinated soon

(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

published 15 December 2020

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday during a Good Morning America interview that he feels "really strongly" that, "for security reasons," President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect should get vaccinated for COVID-19 as soon as possible. "You want [Biden] fully protected as he enters into the presidency in January," Fauci said.

He also believes President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence should receive a shot. Though he didn't specify when — Fauci told The Washington Post the White House has not asked for his advice on the matter — his comments did suggest it should happen while they're in office. Trump, who has recovered from a bout with the coronavirus in October, has said he'll get vaccinated "at the appropriate time," but that will likely be "somewhat later in the program." Fauci, though, argued that while Trump probably has protection from his infection, it's still unclear how long that will last, and "you still want to protect people who are very important to our country right now."

Having political leaders cut in line, so to speak, would seemingly cause controversy since health care workers and long-term care facility residents are widely seen as the two groups that should be inoculated in the initial stages when there's a limited supply of doses, but others have made the case there's no doubt vaccinating constitutional officers, at least, should be a priority. Tim O'Donnell

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.

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