U.S. Vice president Mike Pence is set to receive his COVID-19 vaccine shot in a televised event this Friday. The White House said that president-elect Joe Biden will also be getting his shot as soon as next week.
The White House said Thursday that the event is meant to "promote the safety and efficacy" of the vaccine and "build confidence among the American people."
During the event at the White House, Pence's wife, Karen Pence, and Surgeon General Jerome Adams will also be vaccinated. A transitional official, who did not want to be named, told reporters that Biden should be receiving his shot next week.
Biden told reporters earlier Wednesday that he fully intends to be vaccinated and to do it publicly.
"I don't want to get ahead of the line, but I want to make sure we demonstrate to the American people that it is safe to take...When I do it, I'll do it publicly so you can all witness my getting it done," Biden said.
Since the Food and Drug Administration had cleared the way for Pfizer's vaccine candidate to be used, some Americans have expressed concerns over the safety of the treatment.
The number of Americans hesitant to be vaccinated has dropped in recent days as more politicians have come forward to be publicly inoculated. A poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that 71% of respondents were willing to be vaccinated.
The latest results - released Tuesday - showed a significant increase from the 63% record in the last poll conducted. The foundation said that the increase in confidence in the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines was evident across all racial groups and political affiliations.
Apart from Pence, other political figures have also announced plans to take the vaccine on camera. Former President Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have all agreed to help build public trust by taking the vaccine publicly.
This week, health care workers across the country were among the first to receive the federally-approved coronavirus vaccines. As of Thursday, the U.S. has recorded more than 17.3 million cases with over 314,000 deaths.
