US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received her Covid vaccine live on television Tuesday and urged public trust in the process, while her choice of hospital highlighted the plight of the hard-hit African-American community. A mask-wearing Harris received the first of her two shots at United Medical Center, located in an area of Washington, DC with a large African-American population.
African-American communities nationwide have seen disproportionately high levels of death and illness related to the Covid-19 pandemic, while polls have also indicated they are among the most reluctant to get vaccinated. Harris will become the first Black and Indian-American vice president when she takes office on January 20, as well as the first woman in the role. In a tweet late Tuesday, Harris said: “Today I got the Covid-19 vaccine. I am incredibly grateful to our frontline health care workers, scientists, and researchers who made this moment possible.
“When you’re able to take the vaccine, get it. This is about saving lives.” Harris’ vaccination, which was also broadcast live on TV, came almost a week after President-elect Joe Biden received his. After receiving the shot, Harris said she wants to “encourage everyone to get the vaccine. It is relatively painless. It happens really quickly. It is safe”. The Vice President-elect also confirmed that her husband, Doug Emhoff, would be receiving the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday, CNN reported.
