Taoiseach says he is willing to publicly receive the Covid-19 vaccine, but not as ‘some kind of public relations opportunity’

THE TAOISEACH has said it would be willing to publicly receive the coronavirus vaccine on television in the future if it helps people “make sure I am taking the vaccine.”

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Micheál Martin said he is willing to receive the vaccine publicly when it is available to him, but not as “some kind of public relations opportunity.”

“I will take the vaccine according to the prioritization assigned by the public health authorities,” Martin said.

I’ll be taking that vaccine … in whatever way people want to make sure that I’m taking the vaccine.

“I don’t want to be doing it apparently just for the sake of doing it, or for some kind of public relations opportunity. That would not be my agenda. ”

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he’s willing to take the Covid-19 vaccine publicly if that’s what people want to make sure they trust her, but says he doesn’t want to do it just to show off pic.twitter.com/jKzOezNmuR

– Gráinne Ní Aodha (@GNiAodha) December 4, 2020

This follows after US President-elect Joe Biden, as well as former US Presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton, said they would take a coronavirus vaccine on camera if it helps promote public trust.

Obama, in an interview with SiriusXM radio, said he would be inoculated if America’s leading infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, approves a Covid-19 vaccine.

Later that day, Biden told CNN in an interview that he, too, would be willing to be vaccinated in public after government approval of the vaccines, specifically saying that he would trust Fauci to say it was safe.

“It is important to communicate to the American people that it is safe,” Biden said. “It is safe to do this.”

Micheál Martin said he wants to make it “very clear” that “he is going to get the vaccine.”

I have faith in the licensing agencies in Europe and the US in terms of authorization and market authorization for these vaccines.

Neither the United States nor Europe has yet approved a Covid-19 vaccine. Earlier this week, the UK formally approved a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Germany’s BioNTech and US giant Pfizer, becoming the first country to do so.

On Wednesday, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he is reasonably confident that the Covid-19 vaccine will start rolling out in Ireland next month with increased population immunity possible by next September.

He said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization will decide on the future launch and will make a decision in the coming weeks.

Varadkar said the vaccines are safe and effective and could have a “real and significant impact for the country” next year before broader population immunity is achieved in September or October.

With information from Gráinne Ní Aodha