Ex-U.S. presidents, Biden ready to receive vaccine Virus toll passes 1.5M
I promise you that when it’s been made for people who are less at risk, I will be taking it
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Former US presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton as well as President-elect Joe
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The world passed the grim milestone of 1.5 million coronavirus deaths on Thursday, as several nations planned to deliver much hoped-for vaccines early next year to break the cycle of lockdowns and restrictions.
US President-elect Joe Biden said that on his first day in office he would ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days to help reduce transmission of the virus that is again surging in the country with the world’s highest number of deaths and infections.
“I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask. Just 100 days to mask — not forever,” Biden said in excerpts of an interview to be broadcast on CNN later Thursday.
But even as the latest positive news about a vaccine was announced, with the Moderna candidate showing it confers immunity for at least three months, several countries marked new COVID-19 records.
I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask.
The US, for instance, posted an all-time high of more than 210,000 new cases in a 24-hour stretch to Thursday evening, meanwhile notching more than 2,900 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
And Italy registered 993 deaths, topping its previous record of 969 earlier in the year when it was the first European country to be affected by the pandemic.
To build trust in vaccines after they are approved, the 78-year-old Biden said he was willing to be vaccinated in public — following up on similar commitments from former US presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Biden are volunteering to take a coronavirus vaccine on camera if it will help promote public confidence.
Obama, in an interview with SiriusXM radio, said he would be inoculated if top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci signs off on a COVID-19 vaccine.
“If Anthony Fauci tells me this vaccine is safe, and can vaccinate, you know, immunize you from getting COVID, absolutely, I’m going to take it,” Obama said.
“I promise you that when it’s been made for people who are less at risk, I will be taking it,” he said.
“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,” Obama said.
Freddy Ford, Bush’s chief of staff, told CNN the former president also wanted to help promote vaccination.
“First, the vaccines need to be deemed safe and administered to the priority populations,” Ford told CNN.
“Then, president Bush will get in line for his, and will gladly do so on camera.”
Angel Urena, Clinton’s press secretary, told CNN the former president would also be up for getting a vaccine in public on television.
Later in the day, Biden told CNN in an interview that he, too, would be willing to be vaccinated in public after government approval of vaccines, specifically saying he would rely on Fauci to say it was safe.
“It’s important to communicate to the American people it’s safe,” the 78-year-old said. “It’s safe to do this.”
He also lauded the three former presidents for their commitment, saying they had “set the model as to what should be done.”
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.