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10:02 a.m. M.
Friday 04 December 2020
Washington – (BBC):
Former US Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton announced their willingness to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in front of the cameras.
All three said they would receive the vaccine as soon as regulatory authorities approved it and in accordance with the recommendations of US health officials.
The measure aims to improve citizens’ confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines against the Corona virus.
Polls indicate that a large portion of the American public is reluctant to get vaccinated.
And a Gallup poll conducted in October before the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine trial results were released showed that about 6 in 10 Americans would like to receive the vaccine. The percentage was below 50 percent in September.
No vaccines have yet been approved by US authorities, but government regulators intend to review the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in the coming weeks.
“I promise to take it (the vaccine) as soon as it is delivered to people who are at lower risk of infection,” Obama said in an interview with “Syrias XM” radio on Wednesday.
He added: “Maybe I get the vaccine in front of television cameras or it will be filmed, so people know that I trust science, and what I don’t trust is the Covid infection.”
Representatives for Bush and Clinton told CNN that the two former presidents pledged to get the vaccine “as soon as possible” and urged all Americans to do the same.
Public health experts said that mass immunization with the Coronavirus vaccine can lead to herd immunity, which is an essential step in limiting the spread of the disease.
Receiving vaccines publicly can help participate in a broader awareness campaign once the FDA officially approves the vaccine.
Britain has already approved the Pfizer vaccine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s press secretary said he could take the vaccine directly in front of cameras to convince others to get it too.
